Yesterday, Tuesday, January 6, marks a historic time in the history of Ghana as the Overlord of the Asahnti kingdom, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, paid a visit to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Christian Tetteh Yohunu at the Police headquarters in Accra.

The event, dubbed the guard of honour parade in honour of Otumfuo, saw the presence of political leaders, chiefs and other traditional leaders. Otumfuo delivered a speech in nwhich he highlighted the essence of traditional and constitutional rules colloboration to ensure lasting peace and security in the country.

Find the full speech below:

The Inspector General of Police, Dr Christian Yohuno,the President of the Regional House of Chiefs of Greater Accra, my dear brother. Senior officers, men and women of the Ghana Police Service here assembled. Traditional rulers here assembled. Distinguished guests, fellow citizens of our beloved Republic, sir.

Manhyia has been pleased to enjoy a productive working relationship with the Ghana Police Service over the years, but this is the first time we have had the opportunity of visiting what I will call the engine room or the heartbeat of the Service. Thanks to the initiative and kind invitation of our son, the Inspector General of Police. So, we are deeply humbled by the extraordinary courtesies extended to us this morning.

Watching the ladies parade, I thought I should have worn my military or police dress to be here. I plead with the IGP to give me a police dress so next time when I come I can be a policeman.

But this honour is not intended for me alone, but duly shared with the entire community of traditional rulers who are the guardians of culture. So, I am pleased to be joined by the new president and other traditional council members. I hope they share this honour with all of us.

It is truly inspiring to survey the amazing lineup of the top brass who not only make up the entire command of the Ghana Police Service but represent over a century of dedicated and exceptional service to the nation. And whilst I was walking in, I saw former IGPs that I have dealt with, and I am glad that they are here today.

Interestingly, as far back as 27 years ago, my first police ADC—I saw him now—he was my first ADC who was looking after me 26 years ago. I do not know what rank he has now, but he was my ADC at that time.

This is not a routine or a mere ceremonial visit. It is intended to be a landmark event marking a moment in history where two ancient responsibilities meet to begin a momentous conversation: the guardianship of values and the enforcement of law. One institution draws its authority from ancestral memory. The other draws its mandate from the Constitution. Yet both exist for one sacred task—the preservation of order, dignity, and peace in society.

Before we proceed upon this historic journey, let me, in the spirit of the New Year, convey a message of glad tidings to the gallant men and women who make up the Ghana Police Service. We come with abiding gratitude to each member of the Service, from the lowest constable to the top leadership gathered here today, for your selfless sacrifices to keep us safe over the years, and we bring you hope for progress and prosperity in the years to come.

The Ghana Police Service is one of the institutional legacies bequeathed to us by our former colonial rulers. From the first Ghanaian who took over the mantle of leadership from the departing colonial commander, the highly distinguished Erasmus Ransford Majette, to the energetic leadership assembled here today, the Police Service has gone through many challenging eras. Changing political circumstances have impacted the Service in different ways. But it is fair to say that through it all, the Service has maintained a level of commitment and professionalism we should be proud of.

Whenever and wherever you have been called upon to undertake international duties, you have acquitted yourselves with full credit. The greatest pride of Ghanaians today is that our nation is recognised in the world as an oasis of peace in an environment of turbulence. The international community widely acclaims us for the safety of our streets.

If we take pride in our climate of peace and accept the plaudits of the world for the safety of our streets, we cannot fail to acknowledge the crucial role of the frontline protectors of our peace and security. When we snuggle in our comfortable beds at night, we cannot forget that there are thousands of our sons and daughters battling mosquitoes while dutifully protecting us from the snares of criminal minds.

And while we travel along our motorways, whether in our shining limousines or the humble trotro, we cannot forget that there are again thousands of our sons and daughters keeping guard in the most inhospitable spots just to make sure we arrive safely at our destinations.

The truth is not in us if we fail to acknowledge that we owe a huge debt of gratitude to the men and women in blue for the safety we cherish. So today we say “Ayekoo” to the Police for faithful service to the nation. Ayekoo for your selfless sacrifices in the most difficult terrains. Ayekoo for the safety of our streets, and Ayekoo for selflessly standing guard while we sleep.

As I have already mentioned, the Ghana Police Service is one of the legacies of our colonial past. But long before the first police uniform was sewn, communities had learned how to live together. Before courts were built, disputes were settled. Before statutes were written, wrong was already understood. Custom was the first law. Culture was the first constitution.

It taught restraint before punishment, responsibility before rights, and harmony before victory. It reminded people that their actions did not end with themselves, that every deed echoed through family, lineage, and memory.

In those days, a child feared disappointing an elder more than facing authority. A man thought twice before wrongdoing, not because of arrest, but because shame would outlive him. Conduct was shaped long before crime could take root. That is the quiet power of culture.

When culture is strong, crime struggles to breathe. When culture collapses, law enforcement is forced to compensate. No number of efforts, no matter how disciplined or well-equipped, can replace a society that has lost its moral compass. Law enforcement functions best where people already believe that order is worth protecting.

This is why we have been pleased to join hands with Dr. Christian Yohuno, the Inspector General of Police, to initiate this conversation. It has been most useful at this point in time to engage with an IGP steeped in history and culture and able to appreciate the essential interplay between the two. So he is aware of the extent to which the colonial authorities relied on traditional authorities for the maintenance of law and order. Indeed, you know that the British were content to make domestic law and order a joint function between law enforcement and traditional rulers.

When the Asante nation became part of the new nation-state of the Gold Coast, the Asantehene was allowed to keep and maintain his own police, and in fact, the police had all the authority of the colonial police well into the onset of independence. Along the original Gold Coast colony, one of the most eminent chiefs was Nene Azuma, the Konor of Manya Krobo, who in his lifetime played a key role in the preservation of law and order.

It is no wonder that Kroboland gave us the first Ghanaian head of the Police, the eminent Sir Charles Erasmus Ransford Majette, who was to go on to serve as Leader of Opposition in Parliament. And it is no surprise that the seed of the past continues to flower in our incumbent IGP.

The lessons of history suggest that we can build a safer, more peaceful society by a conscious effort to bring the guardians of culture and the protectors of law ever closer together, to create an interlocking mechanism based on the cardinal principle that culture cannot do without the Police and the Police cannot succeed without culture.

Culture without law becomes nostalgia—beautiful stories with no teeth. Law without culture becomes force—effective but brittle. One shapes the heart; the other restrains the hand. A society that restrains only the hand while neglecting the heart merely postpones order.

As the King and embodiment of one of Africa’s great enduring cultures, I have seen culture at its finest and I have also seen it at its worst. I have opened up the deliberations of Asanteman and our Traditional Council to the global media so the world can see how genuine custom resolves disputes peacefully, preserving relationships and dignity. I have also seen how distorted tradition may be used to justify violence and impunity.

What we have seen and done reinforces my belief that when authority, traditional or otherwise, employs disorder as a tool, it has abandoned legitimacy. Custom was never designed to protect criminals; it was designed to prevent crime.

Every culture in Ghana provides a formula for resolving disputes, and it is only when our fidelity to cultural values fails that disorder takes over. True traditionalism works with justice; it does not compete with it. This is why the role of the Ghana Police Service is indispensable.

I recall that Christian only recently assumed the position of Inspector General of Police under a cloud, at a time when public expectations of the Police were high and patience was thin. Within this short period, the impact of leadership has been felt, and we see a style reflecting the essential elements in law enforcement—calm authority anchored in professionalism.

The greatest victory of law enforcement is prevention, and prevention begins long before police sirens sound. It begins in homes, where discipline is taught; in communities, where elders are respected; and in cultures where wrongdoing is socially discouraged before it becomes legally punishable. This is where culture performs its most important work.

In a society where values are strong, the police officer is not viewed as an adversary but as a partner. The uniform commands respect not because it carries force but because it represents shared principles.

Now imagine a society where values have collapsed. In such a place, the police officer becomes a symbol of oppression. The law becomes an external imposition, and crime becomes defiance masquerading as freedom. The difference between the two societies is not the number of laws on the books; it is the presence or absence of culture.

So it should be obvious, therefore, that the alignment of cultural values with the values of law should be the first step towards crime prevention. Our visit today sets us on a journey towards crystallising this alignment of values and sends a powerful national message: tradition and modern law enforcement are not rivals struggling for relevance; they are collaborators safeguarding the same future.

When traditional authority respects legal authority, communities stabilise. When Police respect local customs, cooperation deepens. When both communicate openly, crime loses its hiding place.

If law alone could save society, then countries with the thickest law books would have no problems and no prisons at all. Yet even prisons have rules and still require values. The truth is simple, though uncomfortable: no society can outsource morality entirely to the state and expect peace. Together, we must raise citizens, not just enforce laws.

Therefore, I have come to urge deeper, institutionalised collaboration between traditional authorities and the Ghana Police Service. Let chiefs serve as allies in community policing. Let officers be trained to understand the customs of the people they protect. Let dialogue precede deployment and mediation precede confrontation.

This is not softness; it is intelligence. The future of public order lies not in louder force but in stronger values supported by competent, disciplined law enforcement.

We hope the conversation we begin today will culminate in some institutional arrangement that guarantees effective and respectful collaboration. You will no doubt be aware that among the guardians of tradition, we are fortunate to have eminent men like my own brother, who before his enstoolment was one of the highest-ranking police officers and even served in Ashanti.

You can have every assurance of the presence of a vast community of guardians of culture ready to connect with you for a new era in nation-building.

We have conveyed our message of hope and progress to the Ghana Police Service. We have assured you of our gratitude for your faithful service and selfless sacrifices for our protection and safety. But we cannot conclude without acknowledging persistent public disquiet that undermines discipline and engenders mistrust.

We must admit, however attractive the arguments may be, that there is a mountain to climb if we ignore public concerns about police values. I have always believed that the discipline and values instilled during police and military training shape one for a lifetime. No one who goes through such training is ever in doubt about what the uniform represents and the values it professes when bearing the Coat of Arms.

So it is puzzling, to say the least, when Ghanaians see men in uniform act publicly in a manner that compromises the integrity of the Service. This provides an escape route to detractors who argue that if members of the disciplined services cannot maintain their values, how can civil society be expected to do so?

As we embark on this journey together, we urge you, IGP, and your devoted colleagues to seriously tackle issues affecting police integrity and public trust. It may well be necessary to reinforce or re-skill the values you instil in your men so they are left in no doubt that any action that compromises police integrity also dishonours the uniform and the Coat of Arms they bear.

I also hope you will work towards making the Service politically neutral. There will always be one government responsible for the state of Ghana, and as a Police Service of the state, you are sworn to loyalty to the government. But there must be a clear line between government and political party. Law enforcement must be pursued without fear or favour, affection or ill will.

When I survey the galaxy of able men and women assembled before me today, I am filled with confidence that you are up to any challenge the year may bring. I encourage you to stick together in continued dedication to the upliftment of the Service.

To you, Dr. Christian Yohuno, the IGP, I commend your leadership and encourage you to continue steering the Service with firmness, fairness, and foresight. The work you have begun will outlive your tenure if anchored in values.

Custodians of tradition, let us preserve our customs not as relics of nostalgia but as living systems that cultivate discipline, peace, and justice. And to every citizen, remember that the destiny of this nation is shaped not only by laws passed in Parliament but by conduct practised in homes.

When culture stands upright, crime bends low. And when culture works with law, society works in peace.

May the year 2026 bring all of us peace, charity, joy, and prosperity.

Thank you very much.