Asanti King's Celebration
Komasi

Ghana has a democratically elected government, but some remnants of ancient times persist. A number of regions still have kings who ascend to their thrones through traditional means. The largest and most important of these is the Asanti kingdom.

Every 41 days the Asanti king attends a celebration held in his honor. It is a large affair attended by many dignitaries. The significance of the event was very evident during our stay. Soccer (football) is a very popular sport in Ghana and a source of national pride. The Ghanaian national soccer team was scheduled to play a World Cup qualifying match with Egypt on the same day, a Sunday, as the king's celebration. The match was rescheduled to Tuesday in deference to the king.