十四世 · 托比 · 阿菲德（Togbe Afede XIV）阁下，阿索格利州（Asogli）国王大酋长（Agbogbomefia），已成为艾维族王国（Eweland），加纳和世界各地家喻户晓的有突出个性品格的名字。

这位企业家也是沃尔特地区（Volta Regional）首府霍城（Ho）的传统统治者，曾担任加纳国家酋长院主席，他选择获得作为人民坚定倡导者的声誉，并很快成为最突出的声音之一。

托比 · 阿菲德阁下的讲话中始终如一地试图用通俗易懂的语言谴责腐败和贪婪，众所周知，他总是告诫酋长以寻求人民的发展为主导。

然而，对于霍城的一些人来说，传统统治者的高高在上对首府霍城和沃尔特地区的生计及经济发展影响不大。

托比阁下作为企业家

本名 James Akpo，托比阁下是第 14 个拥有“十四世 · 托比 · 阿菲德”名字的人，是美国神圣的耶鲁大学的产物，对加纳国家的经济发展起到重要作用，他的投资中有一座发电厂为国家电网提供大量电力，该发电厂以阿索格里命名。

托比阁下拥有一家国际金融服务公司（SAS），一家国内航空公司（AWA），还是加纳最古老的一支足球俱乐部主席。

托比阁下也是加纳世界贸易中心组织主席。

然而，根据大多数是年轻人的说法，王室尚未在家乡建立直接的经济企业。

人民的看法

“他为年轻人争取了什么？托比在这里没有业务或公司。在他的领导下，已走完 20 年政治统治下的 5 个任期，这足以改变霍城历史，进而改变沃尔特地区。至少有一家瓶装水，阿索格里家禽养殖场，或生产罐装西红柿的工厂等等，都将搭脉大卖，并能为大量当地年轻人提供就业机会。“ 一位当地年轻人告诉本刊。

这种说法是普遍的，但同样普遍的观点是，十四世 · 托比 · 阿菲德提升了阿索格里的国家形象。

Kojo 是来自 Ho-Bankoe 的狂热青年，他也对最高酋长在青年就业问题上持一些观点，但他高兴地谈到托比阁下是如何提升国家形象的，对他们来说，这在他们一年一度的山药节越来越受欢迎和被企业赞助当中最为明显。

节日

阿索格里王国的山药节（Te Za）已成为全球轰动，具有诸多影响力的节日，包括：反腐败庆祝活动、西非母羊酋长峰会，和妇女赋权日庆祝活动。

山药节被定位为沃尔塔地区主要旅游的驱动力，几个旅游计划和活动在其中。

“托比阁下的到来重塑了山药节这一品牌，并带来许多公司赞助这个节日。” Kojo 说，但我还是要继续重复我们年轻人的立场。

“如果没有发展，仅仅庆祝节日，这对社区有什么收获？我不知道有人从阿索格里教育基金中受益。”他担心地说到，并要求这位传统领导人利用他的影响力帮助年轻人获得可持续的生计。

本刊证实，该地区很多学生和年轻人是阿索格里教育基金的受益者，斯坦比克银行近期以此目的向该基金捐赠了约 50,000 加纳塞地。

Kojo 希望当地人在 UHAS，霍城技术大学，护理学院，和霍城安全机构的协议名单上获得位置。

与本刊接触的其他一些人表示，预计将有一座适合国王大酋长地位的宫殿大厦建设，但  20 年内还没有。

托比阁下似乎已经注意到了这些担忧，并在去年的节日活动中首次将青年论坛纳入其中。

国王大酋长谈到了支持年轻人的计划，他说这要求每个人确定潜在的增长领域。

今年的第二届论坛被命名为“青年赋权和创业日”，已于 9 月 13 日 (星期三) 在霍城工大学大礼堂举行。

托比阁下曾多次将他无法在霍城发展商业帝国归咎于土地不可用。

沃尔塔城（Volta City）项目的微缩模型已在阿索格里宫展出一年多，该项目包括数百套住宅公寓，将在该区的建造，当地居民们愿意不惜一切代价在霍城建此项目。

托比阁下社交媒体上的帖子揭示了为新城市争取一席之地的持续性努力。

阁下的航空公司非洲世界航空公司（Africa World Airlines）计划在霍城机场进行运营，但在加纳国内的另一家航空公司激情航空（Passion Air）试图维持该航线失败后流产。

飞机维修设施

托比阁下一直在提议建立一个飞机维修设施，他将在今年启动一所航空学院，作为实现青年可持续发展，并利用耗资 2 千 5 百万美元的霍城机场的雄心勃勃的一步。

托比阁下的崇拜者表示，即使看起来没有任何直接投资，也不应低估他的统治对市政当局和该地区经济增长的影响。

许多人呼吁考虑阿索格利发电厂等国家投资的更广泛影响，并表示沃尔特经济正在进行的积极投资和发展必须承认这位世界级至高无上的传统统治者的丰功伟绩。

托比阁下对加纳酋长机构质量和参与的贡献继续得到认可，他的领导鼓励许多人发表言论并采取行动反对社会弊病。

但随着沃尔特地区开始享受经济焦点，首都传统统治者在实现发展愿望方面的作用得到加强，许多人对他的企业家袖子下的期望更多。

旅游目的地

沃尔特地区现在是加纳最热门的旅游目的地之一，其景点组合无与伦比。

航空学院一旦启动，肯定会引起一波轰动，但正是这种完全的实现将在年轻人中建立希望。

阿索利州秘书 Steven Tetteh 先生表示，该学院将是加纳首创的航空学院，为年轻人提供获得飞行员，飞机工程师等技能和工作的机会。

预计还将启动一个人道主义基金会，Tetteh 先生表示，其他举措即将到来，同时对包括健康和教育在内的关键部门的支持正在持续进行。

人道主义

托比阁下继续因其人道主义承诺而受到认可，他支持了各种灾难社区，包括沃尔特地区的潮汐，以及遭受瓦斯爆炸的阿皮亚特斯居民。

他最近对霍城发生的一起重大洪水事件做出迅速反应，并成功地让深所固电力公司（Sunon Asogli）资助成立了一个人道主义基金，以永久解决洪水问题。

阿索格利州正在与霍城市议会合作，重新开发该市的所有排水沟和水道，本刊了解到议会计划任命托比阁下为霍城氧城项目大使。

今年山药节的主题是“20年无私和鼓舞人心的领导”，托比阁下将于 10 月 6 日在国务会议上出席，并在第二天主持盛大的闭幕仪式（Durbar）。

塔克拉传统地区最高酋长Togbe Ayim Adzokoto II 主持了节日的规划，他说，诸如母羊传统领袖峰会和反腐败日等计划和活动正在制度化。

他承诺举办一场更激动人心的活动，并敦促所有人帮助确保无事件庆祝这个人，他的功绩为艾维王国赢得了认可和自豪。

Togbe Afede: Two Decades of Advancing Asogli State and Beyond

The name Togbe Afede XIV, the Agbogbomefia of Asogli State has become a household name and personality in the Eweland, Ghana and the world over.

The entrepreneur, who is also traditional ruler of the Volta Regional capital, who once headed the National House of Chiefs, has chosen to acquire the reputation as a strong advocate of the people, and soon registered among the most prominent of voices.

Consistent in his speeches are painstaking attempts to condemn corruption and greed in plain language, and he is known to always admonish chiefs to seek the development of the people.

Yet for some in Ho, the towering figure of a traditional ruler impacted little on the livelihoods and economic development of the capital and the Region.

Togbe as an entrepreneur

Real name James Akpo, Togbe Afede, the 14th to bear the name, is a product of the sacred Yale University and has major stakes in the nation’s economy with an investment portfolio that has a power plant producing significantly for the national grid, and which is named after Asogli.

He owns an international financial services firm, a domestic airline, and is chairperson of one of Ghana’s oldest football clubs.

Togbe Afede is also the Chairperson of the World Trade Centre Organisation in Ghana.

The royal is however yet to establish a direct economic venture in his home Region, at least according to some, the majority youths.

Views of the people

“What has he championed for the youth? Togbe owns no business or companies right here. Twenty years of rule politically will be five terms under his stewardship, and it is enough to change the Ho story and by extension Volta. At least a water bottling plant, Asogli poultry farm or factories to produce canned tomatoes or so, will have been a sellout, as it will employ the many youths,” a young native told the GNA.

The assertion is so widespread, but so is the view that Togbe Afede XIV has elevated the Asogli State.

Kojo, an avid youth from Ho-Bankoe, also holds some views against the Paramount Chief over youth employment, yet he spoke with joy, of how Togbe Afede enhanced the image of the State, which for them was most evident in the increasing popularity and patronage of its annual Yam Festival.

The festival

The Asogli Te Za (Yam Festival) has become a global sensation with lots of impactful programmes including the anti-corruption celebration, a summit of Ewe Chiefs in West Africa, and a women empowerment day celebration.

It is also being positioned as a major tourism driver for the Region with several tour programmes and events in the lineup.

“Togbe’s coming has rebranded the yam festival and brought many companies to support the festival,” Kojo stated, but would proceed to re-echo the position of the teeming youth.

“But there is no development. We only celebrate festivals and then nothing more. What does the community gain? I am not aware of anyone benefiting from the Asogli Education Fund,” he worriedly stated, asking that traditional leaders used their influence to help the youth acquire sustainable livelihoods.

GNA can attest that several students and other individuals are beneficiaries of the Asogli Education Fund with the Stanbic Bank donating some GH¢50,000 for that purpose a week ago to the fund.

Kojo wanted natives to gain placement on protocol list for UHAS, Ho Technical University, Nursing College, and the security agencies in Ho.

Some others the GNA engaged with said they expected an edifice of a palace befitting his status but none in 20 years yet.

Togbe Afede seems to have taken notice of the concerns, and for the first time, included a youth forum in the festival’s activities last year.

The Agbogbomefia spoke of plans to support the youth, which he said required every individual to identify potential growth areas.

The second edition of the forum, this year, has been termed a “Youth Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Day,” and was held at the Ho Technical University Auditorium on Wednesday, September 13.

Togbe Afede has on several occasions blamed his inability to develop a business empire in Ho, on the unavailability of land.

On display at the Asogli Palace for more than a year now, is the miniature presentation of a Volta City project of several hundreds of residential apartments, to be built at a location in the Region with residents preferring it around Ho, at all costs.

Posts on his social media handles reveal ongoing efforts to get a place for the new city.

A planned operationalisation of the Ho Airport by Africa World Airlines, his airline company, was aborted after fellow domestic carrier Passion Air tried and failed to sustain the route.

Aircraft maintenance facility

Togbe Afede, who has been mooting for the establishment of an aircraft maintenance facility, would this year launch an Aviation Academy as an ambitious step towards youth sustainability and the utilisation of the $25 million Ho Aerodrome.

Admirers of Togbe said the impact of his reign on the economic growth of the Municipality and the Region should not be underrated even in the seeming absence of any direct investment there.

Many called to consider the broader impact of national investments such as the Asogli power plant and said the ongoing aggressive investment and development of the Volta economy must acknowledge the exploits of the globetrotting Paramount Chief.

Togbe Afede’s contribution to the quality and participation of the chieftaincy institution in the country continues to get recognition, and his leadership encourages many to speak and to act against the ills of society.

But as the Volta Region begins to enjoy economic focus, the role of the traditional ruler of the capital in the realisation of the development aspirations is enhanced, and many expect more from under his entrepreneurial sleeves.

Tourist destination

The Volta Region is now among Ghana’s hottest tourist destinations with an attraction mix that is unmatched.

The Aviation Academy, when launched, is sure to create some buzz, but it is the full realisation that would establish hope among the youth.

Steven Tetteh, Secretary to the Asogli State, said the academy would be a first of its kind in the country, to provide opportunities for the youth to acquire skills and jobs as pilots, aircraft engineers, among others.

A humanitarian foundation is also expected to be launched, and the State Secretary said other initiatives were in the offing while support for critical sectors including health and education were being sustained.

Humanitarianism

Togbe Afede continues to be recognised for his humanitarian commitment, having supported various disaster communities including the tidal waves in the Volta Region, and also Apiatse residents, who suffered gas explosions.

He most recently showed swift response to a major flooding incident in Ho and succeeded in getting the Sunon Asogli Power Company to help set up a humanitarian fund for a permanent solution to the flooding.

The Asogli State is working with the Ho Municipal Assembly to redevelop all drains and waterways in the Municipality, and the GNA is aware of plans by the Assembly to name Togbe Afede its Ambassador for the Ho Oxygen City Project.

This year’s Yam Festival is on the theme “20 Years of Selfless and Inspiring Leadership,” and Togbe Afede would sit in State on Friday, October 6, and host the grand durbar next day.

Togbe Ayim Adzokoto II, Paramount Chief of Takla Traditional Area, who chairs the festival’s planning, said programmes and events such as the summit of Ewe traditional leaders and the anti-corruption day, were being institutionalized.

He promised a more exciting event and urged all to help ensure an incident free celebration of the man, whose exploits bought recognition and pride for the Eweland.

文：Samuel Akumatey

来源: GNA

编译：草语云言

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