Ɔkyeame

Dedicated to all Akyeame and Akyeamehene

in the Kingdom

Ɔkyeame

I am ɔkyeame

Ɔhene's spokesman.

Ɔhene's eminence depends upon my wisdom and eloquence.

All contacts with ɔhene are made through me.

Sitting in council,

Ɔhene speaks to elders and citizens through me.

Sitting in council,

Elders and citizens speak to ɔhene through me.

Sitting in council,

Ɔhene speaks to visitors through me.

Sitting in council,

Visitors speak to ɔhene through me.

Ɔkyeame poma I hold for all to see,

Whenever I appear in public gatherings

To debate amansem.

Ɔkyeame poma, the symbol of sovereignty,

Ɔkyeame poma, the symbol of authority,

Ɔkyeame poma, the symbol of command,

Ɔkyeame poma, I hold for all to see,

Whenever I appear in public.

I am the living memory of the people.

I am the walking treasure house of proverbs.

I am an ambulant golden chest of wise sayings.

I am ɔkyeame,

I repeat clearly and remark proceedings,

During trials at ɔhene's court.

I am ɔkyeame,

I rephrase and interpret proceedings,

During trials at ɔhene's court.

I am ɔkyeame,

I stress the importance of proceedings,

During trials at ɔhene's court.

I am ɔkyeame,

I reconstruct to avoid offence in proceedings,

During trials at ɔhene's court.

I am ɔkyeame,

I have recourse to witty, diplomatic language

Whose mysteries are known to me alone,

During trials at ɔhene's court.

Ɔkyeame poma I hold for all to see,

Whenever I appear in public gatherings

To debate amansem.

Ɔkyeame poma, the symbol of sovereignty,

Ɔkyeame poma, the symbol of authority,

Ɔkyeame poma, the symbol of command,

Ɔkyeame poma, I hold for all to see,

Whenever I appear in public.

I am the living memory of the people.

I am the walking treasure house of proverbs.

I am an ambulant golden chest of wise sayings.

I am ɔkyeame,

I am trained to embellish the verb.

I am ɔkyeame,

I am trained to act as witness to major undertakings.

I am ɔkyeame,

I am trained to recall major decisions accurately.

I am ɔkyeame,

I am trained to conduct diplomacy and protocol.

I am ɔkyeame,

I am trained to guide ɔhene on law and custom.

I am ɔkyeame,

I am trained to reconstrue and construe whatever ɔhene says.

I am ɔkyeame,

I am trained to transform ɔhene's whispers

Into poetic and eloquent language.

I am ɔkyeame,

'Without the gift of gab, I redeem:

Nana, you have ears to hear', says the proverb.

Ɔkyeame poma I hold for all to see,

Whenever I appear in public gatherings

To debate amansem.

Ɔkyeame poma, the symbol of sovereignty,

Ɔkyeame poma, the symbol of authority,

Ɔkyeame poma, the symbol of command,

Ɔkyeame poma, I hold for all to see,

Whenever I appear in public.

I am the living memory of the people.

I am the walking treasure house of proverbs.

I am an ambulant golden chest of wise sayings.

I am ɔkyeame,

I exhort the newly-installed ɔhene,

The newly-enstooled Nana I admonish:

We wish that you disclose not the origin of any person.

We wish that you curse not the people.

We wish that you succumb not to the temptation of greediness.

We wish that you gamble not with state property.

We wish that you refuse not to listen to advice.

We wish that you call not the people 'nkwasampafoɔ'.

We wish that you take no decision without advice.

We wish that you act not without counsel.

We wish that you show no personal violence.

We wish that you show no personal abuse.

We wish that you always lend your ears to advisors.

We wish that you never say: 'I have no time, I have no time'.

I am ɔkyeame.

Ɔkyeame poma I hold for all to see,

Whenever I appear in public gatherings

To debate amansem.

Ɔkyeame poma, the symbol of sovereignty,

Ɔkyeame poma, the symbol of authority,

Ɔkyeame poma, the symbol of command,

Ɔkyeame poma, I hold for all to see,

Whenever I appear in public.

I am the living memory of the people.

I am the walking treasure house of proverbs.

I am an ambulant golden chest of wise sayings.

I am ɔkyeame

Ɔhene's spokesman.

Ɔhene's eminence depends upon my wisdom and eloquence.

All contacts with ɔhene are made through me.

Ɔhene speaks to elders and citizens through me

Sitting in council,

Elders and citizens speak to ɔhene through me.

I am ɔkyeame

The data bank of aphorisms and apothegms.

I am ɔkyeame

The treasure house of witty remarks and proverbs.

I am ɔkyeame.

Kofi Adu Manyah