Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Performs Ceremonial Tee-Off for 3rd Stanbic–Asantehene Invitational Golf Tournament

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Occupant of the Golden Stool, on Saturday, December 13, 2025, performed the ceremonial tee-off for the 3rd Stanbic–Asantehene Invitational Golf Tournament at the Royal Golf Club Course in Kumasi.

The prestigious tournament, hosted by the Kumasi Royal Golf Club and sponsored by Stanbic Bank Ghana, is a flagship and signature programme of the bank, held annually in honour of the Asantehene for his exemplary leadership and immense contributions to national development, particularly in the business and economic sectors.

Speaking at the event, Mawuko Afadzini, Executive Head of Marketing at Stanbic Bank Ghana, described the tournament as a special invitational competition the bank has organised for about 17 years in honour of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

According to him, the event provides a unique opportunity for Stanbic Bank to engage its clients and the golfing community while promoting sports development and facilitating meaningful conversations around issues that matter to the community and the country.

“Above all, this tournament is to honour Otumfuo, who is the patron of the competition. It has been an excellent platform for deep engagement, and it is a tradition we hold in very high regard and are deeply committed to sustaining,” he said.

Mr Afadzini explained that participation in the tournament is based on two main criteria: Stanbic Bank clients who play golf, and selected golfers invited at the discretion of the Kumasi Royal Golf Club.

“This creates a brilliant blend of Stanbic Bank clients and members of the golfing community,” he noted, encouraging interested clients to look out for future editions of the tournament.

He further highlighted Otumfuo’s longstanding support for Stanbic Bank, describing the Asantehene as a pillar of strength to the institution over the years.

“His support to the bank has been immeasurable. He is industrious, inspirational, and a symbol of leadership in Africa and beyond. This tournament is a small way of honouring him, and we hope to do even more in the years ahead,” he added.

Mr Afadzini also reiterated Stanbic Bank’s commitment to sports development beyond football, noting the bank’s support for golf, table tennis, swimming, cycling, arm wrestling, and football. He recalled that Stanbic Bank was among the major sponsors of the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

For his part, Professor Bernard Kofi Maiden of the Kumasi Royal Golf Club explained that the tournament is strictly invitational, underscoring its exclusivity.

“The emphasis is on ‘Invitational’. The bank invites its customers, and the club invites selected members. It is a carefully selected field played in honour of the Asantehene, which is why he is here to perform the ceremonial tee-off,” he stated.

He clarified that although the current edition is described as the third Stanbic–Asantehene Invitational, the numbering is “somewhat deceptive,” as the competition was previously known as the Otumfuo Invitational before being renamed. Stanbic Bank, he noted, has sponsored the tournament for the past 11 years.

The one-day amateur competition featured a maximum of 72 golfers, with four players competing on each of the 18 holes. Golfers competed in four categories—Men Group A, Men Group B, Ladies, and Seniors—with gold, silver, and bronze trophies awarded to the top three finishers in each category.

Professor Baiden stressed that the focus of the tournament goes beyond competition.

“This tournament is about interaction and networking. Unlike professional golf, this is not played for money. Over the four and a half hours of play, participants have enough time to interact and build lasting relationships,” he said.

The Stanbic–Asantehene Invitational Tournament remains one of Ghana’s most prestigious golfing events, blending sport, tradition, and corporate-community engagement in honour of the Asantehene.