The Paramount Chief of Juaben, Nana Otuo Siriboe II, has built and handed over a new Sunday school block for the children’s department of St Stephen’s Catholic Church at Juaben in the Ashanti Region.
The presentation of the building was part of activities to mark the 50th Anniversary celebration of his reign as Juabenhene and also a pledge he had made last year to the Catholic Church, and also to commemorate his 76th birthday.
Nana Otuo Siriboe II had his birthday mass at the St Stephen’s Catholic Church at Juaben and was accompanied by some family and friends, traditional authorities, and some dignitaries, where he inaugurated the new block for the children’s department of the Church.
He also donated an undisclosed amount for the maintenance of the new chapel, which is also furnished where he planted four trees at the church premises to memorialize the occasion.
The special Birthday Mass was administered by the Catholic Bishop of the Konongo-Mampong Diocese, Most Rev. Joseph Osei Bonsu.
Consequently, in spite of the event being a church service, it was a royal affair, as guests graced the occasion to honour the Juabenhene, who is also the Chairman of the Council of State.
The celebrant himself, appareled in a rich black and white Kente and adorned in silver and a big gold ring, which is also a symbol of his authority, walked majestically from his palace to the service, with his entourage of sub-chiefs and traditional horn blowers.
Among the guests who graced the occasion were Mr Yaw Boadu Ayeboafo, Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC), Mr Peter Mark Manu, a former Chairman of the NPP, and some members of the Council of State.
Revered Osei Bonsu, delivering the sermon, described Nana Otuo Siriboe as the epitome of the best in chieftaincy and “a kind traditional ruler”.
He said he was grateful to God for granting the people of Juaben, and for that matter the Catholic Church such a selfless chief, whose reign has seen a lot of development in the Juaben and its adjourning communities.
In a brief remark by the celebrant he said he said children are the Nation’s future and needed to be given a firm foundation, such as to dwell in the house of the Lord, hence motivated him to put up the chapel after the old chapel collapsed while being renovated.
He further advised children to take their academic lessons seriously, in order to grow to become responsible adults in future.
