The king and auto mechanic Bunsa
King Bansa, or Togbe Ngoriyfiya Cefas Kosi Bansa, governs the traditional region of Hohoe, Ghana. His kingdom has about 200,000 people, but he is also the spiritual leader of the Ewe people, and therefore considers himself responsible for another two million people in Togo.
However, Bansa does not live in Ghana or Togo. His home is in Ludwigshafen, Germany, where he works as an auto mechanic in his own auto repair shop.
In 1970, his father sent him to Germany to study as a mechanic. After studying, Bansa decided to stay there. He lived a calm and measured life until in 1987 he received a fax from Ghana.
His grandfather had died, and Bansa's father and older brother were left-handed and therefore unable to rule the kingdom. The Ewe people consider left-handers to be "unclean". Bansa decided to devote himself to serving his people without giving up his daily job as an auto mechanic. The monarch governs his people through telephone and email.
Bansa visits Ghana several times a year, sometimes accompanied by his German wife Gabriele. The king builds schools, bridges and wells, distributes pumps and cars. To raise money, Bansa performs as a singer on national TV shows and public events in Germany.
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Keywords: Car service | Ghana | Kingdom | King