Her Royal Highness Lady Julia Osei Tutu counts herself as the luckiest woman and blessed as she looks back on her first meeting with the King of the Asante Kingdom, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, 22 years ago on her visit to Kumasi once.
Their meeting culminated in marriage and has produced and achieved numerous extraordinary blessings and she describes the years of matrimony as “truly exceptional”.
Delivering a speech at the Birthday party of Otumfuo on May 6 night at the Manhyia Palace, Lady Julia, addressing her life partner with romantic titles such as “Sweets” and “My Love”, said, “These years together have been truly exceptional and I continue to pinch myself daily to remind myself that this is not a dream but indeed the wonderful life you promised me when we first met.
“You have exceeded my expectations and I pray that the good Lord blesses you with many more years to continue your reign and to be the amazing father, husband, grandfather and patriarch that you are to us all.”
Love at First Sight
Lady Julia in her address, recounted how their first meeting came about giving life to the notion, “love at first sight”.
“Otumfuo and I first met when I came to Kumasi as the legal and corporate Affairs officer of ECOBANK Ghana. I was tasked with giving the vote of thanks for the inauguration of the first branch of ECOBANK in Kumasi. He tells me that he was mesmerized at the end of the ceremony. Even though it had started to rain, he refused to leave despite the promptings of his courtiers.
“He made sure he found out who I was and how to get in touch with me before leaving the event grounds. That evening, I was summoned by my Managing Director to dinner at Otumfuo’s residence. Little did I know that I was auditioning for the role of a lifetime.”
Looking back on the journey covered so far in the past 22 years together, the virtuous woman renewed her oath to His Majesty before the world.
“Otumfuo, my love, I promise to continue to be your backbone, to stand with you in good times and in difficult times. I reaffirm the vow that I made to you when we first married: that I will be your peace and your sanctuary and I promise that the next 25 years will be filled with the goodness and love we shared thus far.”
Her Royal Highness also credited the counsels of her late mother-in-law, Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem, and her sister-in-law, Nana Konadu Yiadom III, the current Asantehemaa for the success of her marriage.
