MOSCOW, November 28 (Sputnik) — Céphas Bansah, the king of the Gbi tribe in Hohoe, Ghana who rules over his people via Skype and telephone from Germany, came home on Thursday to find his royal regalia stolen, The Times reported.
Céphas, his full name Togbe Ngoryifia Céphas Kosi Bansah, 65, lost four crowns, along with golden chains once belonging to his grandparents from his home in Ludwigshafen, about 80 km south of Frankfurt.
The tribal prince turned local celebrity had chosen to remain in Germany following a student exchange trip in 1970, becoming a certified farm machinery and automotive mechanic.
As the future king himself had explained, his desire to stay in Germany following the exchange stemmed from the desire to practice his trade, as well as an admiration for the German character and its “unyielding sense of duty, discipline, diligence and daring,” Lenta.ru explained. Over time, the prince found a German wife and founded his own body shop.
In 1987, following the death of his grandfather, the tribe’s leader, Céphas was chosen to be king. Both his father and older brother were left-handed, and the Gbi tradition only allows for right handers to be enthroned. Refusing to leave his newfound home in Germany, Céphas has lead his 200,000 subjects via digital communications technology including phone, fax, email, and Skype, visiting his tribe about six times a year.
Despite his remote rule, Céphas, who is a local celebrity in the Rheinland-Pfalz region of Germany, has succeeded in bringing clean drinking water, electricity, schools, a bridge, and a hospital to the remote villages of his tribe, raising money via a non-profit organization, including financial and material assistance from donors in Germany. Céphas frequently appears both on local and federal television programs to raise awareness for his non-profit organization, and is also a singer, having released half-a dozen CDs.
No further details are yet available as to the identity of the burglars, whether they knew whom they were robbing, or the location of the king’s jewels.
