 THE ASANTE REGION AND THE WEST AFRICAN KINGDOM |
 THE ASANTEHENE, THE POWER AND
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ASHANTI REGION
IN THE GHANAIAN GEOPOLITIC |
The Ashanti Kingdom
The Ashanti Kingdom emerged out of the Ekoona, Aduana, Bretuo Asene and Oyoko clans in the Twifo and Adanse regions of the Pra and Ofin basins. The Oyoko state was transformed into the large Ashanti Kingdom by the diplomatic skill and state craft of Obiri Yeboah, Osei Tutu and Opoku ware. Supremacy was established through marriage, diplomacy and war. At the battle of Feyiasi (1701) Osei-Tutu defeated and overthrew the Denkyiras. Numerous Denkyira chiefs transferring their allegiance to Osei Tutu followed this. Their lands were incorporated into the Kumasi Political unit. The defeat of the Denkyiras opened the path to the Western Gold for the Ashanti.
Institutions were put in place by the kings that ensured the rise and growth of the kingdom. With the assistance of Okonfo Anokye, a priest, a golden stool was devised that served as a symbol of unity for all member states in the Kingdom. This firmly established a fusion of all the states under the highest office in the land, vested in the Oyoko clan to which Osei Tutu belonged. Osei Tutu moved the national capital from Kwaman to a central site in present day Kumasi. He also established a national festival, the annual Odwira festival.
He devised a constitution for the Union and introduced a military which was extremely effective and ensured victories, both for state security and expansion.
An Ashanti Leader and Diplomat: Boakye Tenten (1818-1884)
Boakye Tenten of Ashanti had a career in public office that spanned the reigns of four Ashanti Kings, during that time he demonstrated political and administrative skills of a high order. He was the son of an Okyeame (Senior spokesman) of the Asantihene, Osei Bonsu (ruled 1800-1824). Through his mother, Birago of Korase near Kumasi, Boakye Tenten could claim descent from the Asantihene Osei Kwadwo (reled 1764-1777).
At an early age Boakye Tenten became known for his wit and unusual memory for details. In his early 30s he was appointed Resident commissioner of Salaga, a Gonja town north of the Volta River. Salaga was then the most important of Ashanti's northern market towns, and Boakye Tenten was accountable to the Asantehene and his council for its affairs. Discharging his duties efficiently, and thus enhancing his reputation, he was recalled to Kumasi to take the Boakye Yaw Panyin stool, which had become vacant through the death of Kofi Nti in about 1852.
He became the stepfather of two future kings, Kofi Kakari (ruled 1867-1874) and Mensah Bonsu (1874-1883), by marrying the widow of Kofi Nti. He served the Asantihene Kwaku Dua I (ruled 1834-1867) loyally, and became a strong adherent of that king's cardinal policies of "Peace, Trade and Open Road".
During the time of the British invasion into Ashanti in the 1870s, Boakye Tenten made an energetic but fruitless last minute effort to negotiate a settlement with the British Commander, Sir Garnet Wolseley.
Today’s role in the country
The Ashanti region plays a prominent role in the country. This is expressed in the
political, religious and socio-economic life of the country. Politically, the Ashanti region plays a very influential role, and to a large extent decisions somehow (automatically) affects that of other regions.
For instance, the region massively protested against the nomination by former President Rawlings' of Nana Akwasi Agyemang, for the position of Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive. The protest silently opened an avenue for districts in other regions to confidently protest against some other nominations.
The region is seen by the nation as a powerful one because of the Asantehene, who is even regarded more powerfully than the country's elected President. In fact, any action, emanating from the region, has the potential of spreading to other parts of the country because the people of the region can be found in all other regions and because of their 'business-like' nature; their presence is strongly felt wherever they are.
This entrepreneurial Ashanti spirit means more revenue generation for the region. It is on record that the people would naturally want to develop their villages so as to prove that they put their wealth to good use. This generated the expression that, "in Ashanti every village is as town." Somehow, this is no longer a feature of that region. Other regions are following suit. Socio-economically, the region boasts of large stocks of revenue generating activities and economic ventures. It controls the greater number of mineral reserves prominently gold, and timber concessions. Farming activities in the region is rife with foodstuff in abundance and prices being quite low as compared to other parts of the country.
In the religious life of the country, the Ashanti region, like the others, is endowed with its fair share of religious movements, churches and sects. All these are an attempt to improve upon the spiritual development of its people. The region is viewed as one with a lot of respect for tradition and culture. The fight for inculturation in the Roman Catholic church for instance is known to have been spearheaded by the Catholic Bishop of Kumasi, Rt. Rev. Akwasi Sarpong. Now the idea of enculturation has spread country-wide and some churches continue to adopt programmes and activities from that region.
The Asantehene is one of the most powerful and recovered traditional authorities in the land. It even surpassed into the continent. He naturally wields enormous economic power. His symbol of office and authority, which is the Golden Stool, represents wealth.
In view of the long history of that Kingdom, most
heads of government on the continent respects the
occupant. The British monarchy has some level of
respect for that kingdom. It's position in the country,
and the number of companies in the region couple
with the royalties that it receive had placed it
in a very advantageous position. |
The actual Asantehene
OTUMFUO Osei Tutu II, known in private life as Nana Kweku Dua, a business executive was among seven contestants who were vying for the vacant golden stool.
They were:
* Nana Akwasi Agyeman, former KMA boss
* Nana Osei Tutu, also known as Naasei, a London based civil servant,
* Dr Kwame Takyi, a US based engineer,
* Barima Kwadwo, also business executive
* Barima Osei Tutu, a dealer in petroleum products in Kumasi,
* David Osei Yeboah, a quantity surveyor and
* Dr James Yeboah, a Takoradi based medical practitioner
Nana Kreku Duah, son of Nana Asantehemaa, Nana Afia Kobi Serwah Ampem II was born in Kumasi on Mai 6, 1950. His father was Nana Boakye Danquah of Nkyenkyire.
At a very early age, he was adopted by his uncle, Oheneba Mensah Bonsu, Hiahene, one of the leading chiefs at the court of Manhyia, who took it upon him to groom the young royal for the future. Oheneba Mensah Bonsu was one of the main reconcilers at a time of great political turbulence in the relations between Ashanti and central government during the reign of Otumfuo Sir Osei Agyeman Prempeh II.
As part of the grooming process, Oheneba Mensah Bonsu, now deceased, decided against sending him to Prempeh College in Kumasi where most of the royals in Kumasi were being educated. Rather he sent him to the late Omanhene of Sefwi Wiawso, Nana Kwadwo Aduhene, who had him enrolled at Sefwi Wiawso Secondary School in 1964.
He returned to Kumasi to complete his 'A' levels at Osei Kyeretwie Secondary School.
Nana Kwaku Dua moved to Accra to begin an accountancy course at the Institute of professional Studies, Legon in 1971. In 1973, he proceeded to the United Kingdom where he studied first at Kilburn Polytechnic before enrolling at the University of North London for a Diploma in Management as Public Administration.
He became a member of the Institute of Personnel Management in the UK in 1985.
Nana Kwaku Dua worked as a finance officer at the Food Processing Company, Oxo in London and as Personnel Administrator at the Manpower Services Commission attached to Brent Council. In 1980, he moved to Canada and worked for a year as a senior consultant with the Mutual of Omaho Insurance Company of Toronto; he then participated in a company-sponsored course in insurance at the University of Toronto. He returned to Ghana in 1989 to set up his own business Transpomech International (Ghana) Limited of which he remains the Executive Director. The company supplies mining equipment to mining companies. Looking at the region where he comes from (it is the seat of political activities), Nana Dua was brought up to avoid involvement in partisan politics and instead maintain a posture which should build bridges, heal wounds and help forge a collaborative effort towards the socio-economic development of Ashanti and Ghana.
Nana is married to Yaa Akyaa, who has three children, Nana Afua Kobi, 23, Kweku Bonsu, 26 and Nana Kwadwo Bonsu, 4. His enstoolment makes him 16th King of the Golden Stool and the 19th Asantehene. He succeeded his late uncle, Otumfuo Opoku Ware II, who died on February 25, 1999 at the age of 80 after a short illness.
* In the 10 generations which separated the 15 Asante
Kings (Asantehene) had ruled over the Asante Nation.
The rulers are Nana Osei Tutu (1680 tp 1717),
Nana Opoku Ware I (1720-1750),
Nana Kusi Obodum (1750-1764);
Nana Osei Kwadwo (1764-1777),
Nana Osei Kwame (1777-1798),
Nana Opoku Fofie (1798-1799),
Nana Osei Bonsu (1800 to 1823);
Nana Osei Yaw Akoto (1824-1834),
Nana Kwaku Dua I (1834 - 1867),
Nana Kofi Karikari (1867-1874),
Nana Mensah Bonsu (1874-1883),
Nana Kwaku Dua II in 1884,
Nana Kwaku Duah II alias Nana Agyeman Prempeh I from 1888 to 1931,
Nana Osei Tutu Agyeman Prempeh II from 1931 to 1970
and the late Otumfuo Opoku Ware II from 1970-1999.
|
