How a warrior from Amedzofe drank poison to aid his people to conquer Baya

History tells of the many inter-tribal wars early settlers in what is now called Ghana engaged in to show their supremacy and also take over lands they wanted.

From the Ga-Fante War to the Ashanti–Akim–Akwapim War to the Ashanti–Fante War to many others not listed, feuding factions certainly went into battle with strategies they believed would give them victory.

While the strategies of some factions worked for them, that of others didn’t and they sadly had to accept defeat.

One group of people whose strategy worked for them well was the people of Amedzofe who currently occupy the highest human settlement in Ghana, about 2,400 feet above sea level.

The people of Amedzofe were part of the Avatime people who migrated from Ahanta in the Western region to Dodowa.

They then moved to Agotime Kpetoe but due to their ‘war-like’ nature, they couldn’t co-exist with the people there so they had to move again to Matse and Taviefe.

Their love for war made it impossible for them to reside in the same place with these people as well so they had to move again.

Their next place of settlement was Nkoroso, a community near Biakpa, and there they spread out to check the whole area to find a final place to settle.

While their counterparts settled within the valley, the people of Amedzofe climbed up the mountain to find a suitable place to settle.

The site-manageress of the Amedzofe eco-tourism centre, Rubby Ameh, who shares this history with Wonder Hagan on People & Places said “before the people of Amedzofe got here, there were some giants on this land and they were known as Baya.”

The people of Amedzofe settled at Kukuava, where the Ote waterfalls is located, and from there, they spied on the Baya to know their strength while developing strategies with which they can defeat the giants.

“They sent their warriors to come and make peace with the people of Baya. So they made peace with them through the sharing of drinks and after that, they were able to conquer them, marry their wives and share them among the seven communities as well,” Rubby shared.

Wondering how they conquered them with drinks? Well, very simple, the drinks were poisoned.

In the early days, to prove you are really for peace, you are expected to take the first bite of anything you present to your foes so one warrior from Amedzofe sacrificed his life so his people can be victorious.

He took the first sip of the drink his people presented and when the poison started taking effect, they claimed he was drunk and took him away before he died.

The warriors of Baya then took the drinks and died, leaving behind their wives and children who were shared among the seven communities under the Avatime traditional area.

Find out more about the people of Amedzofe in the latest episode of People & Places on GhanaWeb TV





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