The king gardened to earn money to send home to feed his people.

Even though he was a king of the Akan people in Ghana, Africa, he decided to return to Canada to work as a gardener so he could earn money to send back to his people.

When people think of royal families, they immediately think of kings and queens who are powerful and never have to do anything. However, the king of the Akan people in Ghana, Africa, is doing an unexpected job: gardening.

Last year, Eric Manu left his job as a gardener in Langley, British Columbia, western Canada, to return to his home in West Africa and become king. He inherited the throne from his uncle when he died in 2015 at the age of 67.

Portrait of the king of the Akan people, Ghana: Eric Manu.

However, on September 19, Eric decided to return to Canada and continue his gardening work in the hope of earning money and sending it back to help the Akan people.

According to Eric Manu, Ghana is a country that does not focus on poverty reduction and improving the lives of people in rural areas. While urban areas are growing every day, people in remote areas face many difficulties in accessing fresh water, electricity, telecommunication networks and many other infrastructures.

That was the reason that urged Mr. Eric to return to Canada to work; partly to earn money and also to look for partners and philanthropists who could help his hometown people.

Eric Manu is currently working as a gardener in Canada.

Manu first came to Canada in 2012 and married a Canadian woman. They now have a beautiful son.

As a king of the Akan people, Manu understood how important a king's role was to his people and the respect people had for him.

"People in my hometown respect me a lot, so I have a responsibility to make life better for them," Manu said. "It helps me to be more responsible, as well as become a mature man, tolerant and thoughtful of others."

Eric Manu was strongly supported by the people when he negotiated with the Ghanaian government about the living conditions of the people here. It was a valuable experience in running a country for the Vice President of Ghana.

Manu takes a photo with his wife and son.

He said he had strong support from the people when negotiating with the Ghanaian government, which made the vice president pay attention to the villagers' conditions. According to Manu, that was also a valuable experience for the vice president.

Eric Manu's dream was to make his people's lives better. This benevolent king even wished that they would have a good life like in a "second Canada".

Manu and aid from Canada sent to Ghana.

According to Young Knowledge