Togbe (2002)

• 93%
• 2002

Henk Otte lives on disability with his wife and son outside of Amsterdam. Though the Dutchman is white, he has been found to be a reincarnated king in the West African nation of Ghana - his wife's homeland. The documentary follows Otte from Holland to Ghana, where he's set to celebrate his fifth anniversary as the leader of Mepe, the region of 300,000 people who installed him. The story begins with the discovery that Otte's visa is being withheld by the Ghana embassy in Holland due to a controversy in the press. Once in Ghana, Otte is called before the chief's council to explain what happened. He then begins his official duties as development chief of Mepe by assessing the needs of the schools and hospitals. Later, Otte distributes the donations he's collected throughout the year. The latter part of the film examines the forces both political and religious, that led to Otte's unusual appointment. As well as a study of Mepe's demise; an American made dam that stopped the flow of the river which fishermen depended on for survival. It also touches on the encroachment of Christianity brought by the missionaries, which is at odds with Mepe's tribal and traditional roots.