To commemorate 100 years of the return to Kumasi of Asante King Nana Agyeman Prempeh I from exile in Seychelles, a significant two-week photographic exhibition, The King in Exile, has officially been opened at the Seychelles National Library in Mahe, the capital of the Seychelles Islands by the country’s President HE Wavel Ramkalawan.
The first two weeks of the exhibition from November 11 was rotated afterwards on the other islands and received praises from President Ramkalawan who spoke about Prempeh’s resilience and his new Christian faith.
President Ramkalawan, a Cannon of the Anglican Church attended the opening, with the descendants of Prempeh living on the Island and other Ghanaian residents.
The exhibition was curated by the Historian Ivor Agyeman-Duah, the Permanent Secretary of the Seychelles Institute for Culture, Heritage and the Arts, Cecille Kalebi and the Ghanaian Honorary Consul of Seychelles to Ghana, Kwame N. Acquah.
It stands the curators explained “as a tribute to Prempeh’s patience and Yaa Asantewaa’s courage in leading the last Anglo-Asante War of 1900 following the exile. ”
It is also about friendship between Ghana and Seychelles and serves as a cultural bridge illuminating a shared history of unity and pride.
Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa also accredited to Seychelles, Her Excellency Mrs. Francisca Ashietey-Odunton, shared her thoughts on Nana Agyeman Prempeh I’s steadfast dedication to his homeland, reminding Ghanaians of the importance of patriotism and cultural heritage.
She encouraged the youth and others present to embrace their roots and the history which defined their identity as Prempeh did during his 28 years imprisonment on the island.
Her Excellency added that the event would be part of a broader celebration in Ghana with a three-day events starting with a symposium on November 22 at the Osei Tutu II Hall at the Manhyia Palace follow with a Mini-Durbar on November 23 and a memorial church service at the St. Cyprian Cathedral, in Kumasi.
The “King in Exile” exhibition which also has a section on textiles, Kente from Bonwire and other weaving villages, was by courtesy of Maame Konadu Mintah of Mintoma Limited in Ghana.
It has already drawn a remarkable turnout, offering visitors an immersive journey into Prempeh’s ordeal and enduring pride of Asante culture.
Each photograph and story present a powerful tribute to a heritage that has survived centuries of change. Open to the public, the exhibition welcomes Ghanaians and history enthusiasts about a leader who shaped Asante history and continues to inspire generations.
