Bantama: How Dagombas became warriors of Asanteman

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has often touted the close relations between his kingdom and tribes from the northern parts of the country and the significant role they played for the kingdom.

But did you know that the current war general of Asanteman, the Bantamahene, the paramount chief of Bantama, is named after the Dagombas, the dominant ethnic group in the chiefdom of Dagbon in the Northern Region of Ghana?

Speaking in an interview with Max TV, historian and private legal practitioner, Yaw Anokye Frimpong, narrated how the war general of Asanteman, the Bantamahene, got this name.

According to him, Bantama is a Dagomba word which means “My father gave it to me.”

'Dormaa's Golden Stool was seized and destroyed by Asantes' – Anokye Frimpong

He said that Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu I decided to make the Bantamahene the war general of his kingdom because the mighty Dagombas were settlers in his traditional area and they were helping the Asantes win their wars.

“The Kumasi Asafohene was the field marshal of the Asante… but when Osei Tutu I was enthroned, he worked with Okomfo Anokye to take away that position and give it to the people of Bantama. The reason why he did that was that the Dagombas, who had helped the Asantes in their wars, were settling in Bantama.

“That is why we have the name Bantama. Bantama is a Dagomba word which means ‘my father gave it to me’. Other narrations you hear in other books are false. It was because of the Dagombas, even though the chief there was an Asante, called Amankwa Etia,” he said.

He added that the decision of the late Osei Tutu I was prudent because, unlike the Asantes, the Dagombas led wars without fear.

“The chief of Bantama is the only chief the Asantehene gives his clothing to because he (the Bantamahene) is the war general (field marshal) of Asanteman. The decision was wise because the Akans were usually afraid when they went to war. But the northerners (the Dagombas) were fearless when they led the charge during wars,” he said.

Why Asantes deserve the praises and attention they get in Ghana - Anokye Frimpong

The historian added that when the Asantehene realised that he was losing many of his Dagomba warriors, he encouraged his subjects to marry them so they would give birth to more children for his kingdom.

“Osei Tutu also realised that they were losing a lot of the northerners during the wars, so he told his people that because they are matrilineal and not patrilineal, they should give their sisters and daughters to the Dagombas and the Mossis so they would give birth to more warriors,” he said.

Watch a video of his remarks below (from 5:00:



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