Tuesday, June 21, 2011 By Libby McMillen
Donkor - Provided
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When Anthony Ephirim-Donkor went home to Ghana on a recent visit to research the Akan, the largest ethnic group in Ghana, he had no idea that he would be returning as a king.
“The queen mother is the one who nominates the candidate,” said Ephirim- Donkor, father of 2011 U-E graduate Kow Ephirim Donkor. “There is always a dual occupancy, the king rules on the behalf of his queen mother. My aunt, the queen mother, and my mother were the ones who nominated me.”
Mprumem, an Akan community in Ghana where Dr. Ephirim-Donkor is the traditional ruler, is a place populated by approximately 3,000-4,000 people.
When Ephirim-Donkor had returned to Ghana, he had planned to tell his mother he would be returning to the United States, but instead he was greeted by Mprumem’s militia.
The militia traditionally seizes the candidate from their house, and the candidate begins the process of ‘king making’ in which they are confined for eight days to learn how to be king, including being seated on the ancestors’ stool, which is the ultimate religious and political symbol for this community -It is what makes one a king or queen mother.
“Everything changes about your personality,” said Ephirim-Donkor, who now lives in Endicott, and teaches African Studies at Binghamton University in New York, while ruling his people from afar. For the past five years, Ephirim-Donkor has taught Religion and Culture, and African New World Religions at the university.
“I was born in Winneba, Ghana, my father’s town," he said. "I just grew up and traveled in my early adulthood to the United States to attend college. This is where I lived. Then I pastored churches in Georgia while I was attending graduate seminary at Emory University.”
“After being seized, the elders allowed me to come back,” explained Ephirim-Donkor of his return to the U.S, “ to complete my eduction. They knew I will use my US connections to try and develop my society. Every year I used to travel with some church members to build schools, improve the agriculture, the health care system,and to provide electricity. These are things I would not have been able to do if I had lived in Ghana, so I think that my society benefits a lot.”
It has been 18 years since Ephirim-Donkor, known as Nana Obrafo Owom officially, has become King, and already he has been able to improve Mprumem’s education and electricity supply.
“With the help on US missionaries, a roof was added to a primary school.” Ephirim-Donkor explained. “With help from churches and friends in the United States, I have also renovated the pre-school, built a modern middle school, and currently working on building a library.”
“The community never had any good school building. So one of the problems I faced was trying to improve the educational opportunities for the children.”
For Ephirim-Donkor, one of the most important needs in Ghana, is electricity. When faced with the problem of children not studying, Ephirim-Donkor realized that the reason they weren’t studying is because they weren’t able to.
“The fault wasn’t with the children, but with the lack of enough light in homes,” said Ephirim-Donkor.
Many families have to share one or two lanterns, so children can’t always have the luxury of being able to complete their homework when they have to share the light with their parents.
“As far as electricity is concerned we have some, but it is used by limited groups,” said Ephirim-Donkor who continues to work on getting electricity to every class room.
Years ago, Ephirim-Donkor was able to obtain funding from the International Foundation based in Tennessee to improve on the farming needs of his people.
Dr. James Fowler, a mentor and friend of his at Emory University, secured funding for a tractor which was used to plow land for farmers able to afford its services. Ephirim-Donkor spent two years in Mprumem, Ghana plowing about 100 acres, as he was originally trained as an agriculturist.
“Leadership, is service to one’s community,” said Ephirim-Donkor, “Being a clergymen or king is about providing service to people. Serving truthfully.”
Ephirim-Donkor has been king for eighteen years, and already he has been able to live up to his aunt and his mother’s expectations of improving Mprumem, as well a his own expectations to rule and serve truthfully.
“I will be leaving next month to go home and see what has happened since my leaving,” Ephirim-Donkor said.