How politics has divided two royal families in Wenchi

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ABDUALAI ISSAKA 12 years ago

THOMAS KOFI KYEREMEH,YOU HAVE MADE A PROFOUND,WELL INFORMED,AND REASONABLE REQUEST .WHICH I HOPE AND PRAY SOMEONE WILL LISTEN AND GIVE PEACE A CHANCE.THANKS FOR THE HISTORY AS I AM FROM THE BANDA FAMILY AND NOW IN MASACHUSETT ...
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THOMAS KOFI KYEREMEH,YOU HAVE MADE A PROFOUND,WELL INFORMED,AND REASONABLE REQUEST .WHICH I HOPE AND PRAY SOMEONE WILL LISTEN AND GIVE PEACE A CHANCE.THANKS FOR THE HISTORY AS I AM FROM THE BANDA FAMILY AND NOW IN MASACHUSETTS USA,AND WAS GLAD TO HAVE READ THIS,BUT ONLY PRAY AND HOPE THIS WISH BECAMES A REALITY FOR THE NICE FAMILY TO MEND THEIR DIFFERENCES LETS ALL REMEMBER LIFE IS TOO SHORT, SO SOON ALL THE MAJOR PLAYER IN THIS FEUD ARE DEAD AND GONE,WHAT ELSE CAN ONE DO THAN TO SHARE AND ASK FOR A BETTER WORLD.
KMAN 12 years ago

How the 90 year old mother of Kwame Atakorah and Abrefa Mbore Bediatuo, the queenmother Nana Adoufua was paraded in wenchi streets when she refused to hand over the Wenchi stool. How busia and co asked toilet to be poured int ...
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How the 90 year old mother of Kwame Atakorah and Abrefa Mbore Bediatuo, the queenmother Nana Adoufua was paraded in wenchi streets when she refused to hand over the Wenchi stool. How busia and co asked toilet to be poured into her house, how her son was beaten and later died. You left out the monster part of Kofi Busia and his brothers. Also you left out the fact that the Sofoase people were no royals at all and that it was the Yefri people who made them so. Important history but full of distortion.
Jasmine 9 years ago

Mr. Abdullah Issaka, there is no family like "Banda Family"in Wenchi. When we talk about families, we're talking about the indigenous people of Wenchi, and not people who have migrated to live there. You are from Banda but li ...
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Mr. Abdullah Issaka, there is no family like "Banda Family"in Wenchi. When we talk about families, we're talking about the indigenous people of Wenchi, and not people who have migrated to live there. You are from Banda but live in Wenchi. The Banda people have created this wrong impression that people think people from Wenchi are all Banda people and vice versa. With all due respect, Sir, you are not from Wenchi.
Thank you
S Amofa-Mensah 9 years ago

Nice and refreshing short story or historical facts about Wenchi in the Brong-Ahafo for many of us who may otherwise could be ignorant about immediate past.

Well prepared information.

Nice and refreshing short story or historical facts about Wenchi in the Brong-Ahafo for many of us who may otherwise could be ignorant about immediate past.

Well prepared information.
Richmond (Abigi) 12 years ago

This is very revealing and I hope the people are listening? from what I have read (first time of hearing this history), what is going to happen to the white paper from Gen Acheampong that excluded the other family from having ...
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This is very revealing and I hope the people are listening? from what I have read (first time of hearing this history), what is going to happen to the white paper from Gen Acheampong that excluded the other family from having their turn on the stool? Another white paper or what should be the way forward? Good piece though!
KMAN 12 years ago

I AM KWAME ATAKORAHS GRANDSON......THIS GUY IS LYING BAD.

I AM KWAME ATAKORAHS GRANDSON......THIS GUY IS LYING BAD.
Concerned Ghanaian 12 years ago

Dr Busia had never returned from Oxford hoping to go into politics. He did so having been urged by some of his Mfantsipim contemporaries like F.L.Bartels. They hoped to pitch his considerable academic against Kwame Nkrumah to ...
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Dr Busia had never returned from Oxford hoping to go into politics. He did so having been urged by some of his Mfantsipim contemporaries like F.L.Bartels. They hoped to pitch his considerable academic against Kwame Nkrumah to perpetuate the colonial rule which suited the emerging elite who had benefited from the education brought by the colonialists. Little did they know that KAB would never be a match for Kwame Nkrumah who had returned to the Gold Coast buoyed to wrest independence from the British with the not-so-well- educated (Krobo Edusei etc.) firmly behind him.
Busia of took the leadership of the opposition, opposing every act of progress that Nkrumah proposed or enacted.Thankfully, in his short period of rule he failed to revert the University of Cape Coast back to a training college as had originally been intended. What a foresight for a leader!
KOFI SARPONG 12 years ago

I WAS TOLD COACH NKETIA BECAME CHIEF AT ONE POINT BUT THIS WAS NOT CAPTURED IN YOUR PIECE
WELL DONE

I WAS TOLD COACH NKETIA BECAME CHIEF AT ONE POINT BUT THIS WAS NOT CAPTURED IN YOUR PIECE
WELL DONE
mmrosa 12 years ago

YES, THAT'S THE ONLY FLAW IN THE PIECE. COACH NKETIAH WAS DESTOOLED BY THE SUPREME COURT WHICH RULED THAT HE WAS NOT PROPERLY NOMINATED, INSTALLED AND ENSTOOLED AS OMANHENE OF WENCHI.
OTHERWISE A VERY GOOD ARTICLE. KUDOS!

YES, THAT'S THE ONLY FLAW IN THE PIECE. COACH NKETIAH WAS DESTOOLED BY THE SUPREME COURT WHICH RULED THAT HE WAS NOT PROPERLY NOMINATED, INSTALLED AND ENSTOOLED AS OMANHENE OF WENCHI.
OTHERWISE A VERY GOOD ARTICLE. KUDOS!
Concerned Ghanaian 12 years ago

..considerable academic prowess

..considerable academic prowess

DENTEH 12 years ago

I'm more interested in the swearing of allegiance to the Golden stool issue, because it seems this issue is still prevailing amongst some cities in BA. Does the Wenchi Omanhene swear allegiance to the Golden stool?

I'm more interested in the swearing of allegiance to the Golden stool issue, because it seems this issue is still prevailing amongst some cities in BA. Does the Wenchi Omanhene swear allegiance to the Golden stool?
rockson asare,columbus 12 years ago

the chief of wenchi used to swear to the golden stool and was responsible for supplying elephant tasks to manhyia.currently,wenchi no longer swears to otumfuo but maintains excellent rapport with manhyia unlike techiman,dorma ...
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the chief of wenchi used to swear to the golden stool and was responsible for supplying elephant tasks to manhyia.currently,wenchi no longer swears to otumfuo but maintains excellent rapport with manhyia unlike techiman,dormaa,berekum and drobo who were all elevated to paramountcies by Prempeh 11.They all revolted after being made paramount chiefs.
akwesi 12 years ago

Good writing,can any dagomba academic similar balance and unbiased history of dagang skin for everyone to know the truth?
I pray wenchi citizens and their royal families to put those bitterness aside and seek peace,it's so s ...
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Good writing,can any dagomba academic similar balance and unbiased history of dagang skin for everyone to know the truth?
I pray wenchi citizens and their royal families to put those bitterness aside and seek peace,it's so simple but africans are impatient and no tolerance comprimise is the whole issue!
K Boateng 12 years ago

You wrote that an asantehene elevated Techiman, Dormaa, etc to paramountcies. For your information, Bono-Techiman, being the cradle of the Akan civilization, had been in a paramount state long before the British placed it und ...
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You wrote that an asantehene elevated Techiman, Dormaa, etc to paramountcies. For your information, Bono-Techiman, being the cradle of the Akan civilization, had been in a paramount state long before the British placed it under the so-called asante confederacy for the purposes of taxation. We, the Techimans had fiercely and vehemently resisted the attempt to be part of asante from time immemorial. The asantes themselves lived in Techiman before the were given a piece of the asante regional website confirms below:

"Brief History
The Asante (Ashantis) constitute the largest of the various subgroups of the Akan, who trace their origins partly to Bono-Manso and Techiman, in present-day Brong Ahafo Region. They constitute 14.8 per cent of all Ghanaians by birth, and 30.1 per cent of the total Akan population of 8,562,748 in the country. Various oral traditions have it that the Ashantis migrated from various places through Bono-Manso/Takyiman (Techiman) to present day Ashanti Region" . You can check this out from the asante regional website on Ghanaweb.

With this information, can you tell me how an asantehene accorded Techiman a paramountcy where it's on record by historians like Adu Boahen, Fage & Co that asantes copied a lot of Akan Chieftancy traditions and cultures from Bono-Techiman? Please, Ghana is practicing constitutional democracy so leave us alone because we have nothing to do with the asante.
Nana Yaw 12 years ago

They killed Yana. The language the NLM/UP understand is violence, patapaa and POWER at all cost!!!!!

They killed Yana. The language the NLM/UP understand is violence, patapaa and POWER at all cost!!!!!
Kyei Bediako East Orange NJ 12 years ago

Kofi, mo ne kasa.A very informative piece of history. Well written. Bravo Kofi

Kofi, mo ne kasa.A very informative piece of history. Well written. Bravo Kofi
AKWABOAH PRINCE 12 years ago

WE ALL NEED TO GO ABOVE TALKS AND MOVE INTO REAL ACTION BRO. WENCHI IS PHASING OUT IN EVEN BA'S HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT. ALL GOOD WISHES TO OUR LEADERS IN WENCHI. EG. NEWLY INSTALLED CHIEF, DCE, OPINION LEADERS, CONCERN CITIZ ...
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WE ALL NEED TO GO ABOVE TALKS AND MOVE INTO REAL ACTION BRO. WENCHI IS PHASING OUT IN EVEN BA'S HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT. ALL GOOD WISHES TO OUR LEADERS IN WENCHI. EG. NEWLY INSTALLED CHIEF, DCE, OPINION LEADERS, CONCERN CITIZENS ABROAD AND HOME, THE YOUTH AND MYSELF. SHARP DIVISION EMERGING IS ALSO THE BONO AND PEPE FACTION. LETS TACKLE THEM BOTH. BY THE WAY CONGRATS FOR YOUR SENSE OF UNITY IN WENCHI. SAME WISH BRO
fitini sakana 12 years ago

well done bro,
your article on wench royal families is touching and informative. wenchi in phasing out in almost every sphere of life, economic. education, social and even in health related issues.
politicking has brought ...
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well done bro,
your article on wench royal families is touching and informative. wenchi in phasing out in almost every sphere of life, economic. education, social and even in health related issues.
politicking has brought progress and rapid development to towns around wenchi who took notice of changing trends and quickly adjusted to it.
bonos of wenchi should agree to allow prosperous inhabitants who have lived with them for generations be identified as citizens of wenchi, as bonos of techiman, dorma, berekum and other progressive cities are doing and should please stop calling them "pepes".
the chieftaincy issue should be solved once and for all. notable sons and daughters of wenchi both at home and diaspora be invited to a reunion conference by the new intellectual chief to unite the town and gear ahead for developments.
well done bro kofi kyeremeh
kwadwo damoah koasan 12 years ago

You have educate me the land am from but I know nothing off.

You have educate me the land am from but I know nothing off.
Yaw Owuzu-Sekyere, Germany 12 years ago

Very brilliant, philosophic and highly educative. Thanks and well done for writing,Mr. Kyeremeh.
I am hoping this would be an antidote for those political mad people in Wenchi and Brong Ahafo Region.

Very brilliant, philosophic and highly educative. Thanks and well done for writing,Mr. Kyeremeh.
I am hoping this would be an antidote for those political mad people in Wenchi and Brong Ahafo Region.

A1 12 years ago

A very informative piece, and great to see sensible comments for a change!

A very informative piece, and great to see sensible comments for a change!
Victor A Attah.Syracuse NY 12 years ago

This is a well written and interesting history.I have for over fifty years been #1 admirer of Dr Busia and hope his spirits will rise up to help the families resolve their differences for the betterment of that area.

This is a well written and interesting history.I have for over fifty years been #1 admirer of Dr Busia and hope his spirits will rise up to help the families resolve their differences for the betterment of that area.
MenayeAFUAforiwa 12 years ago

The man was part of the problems when he was alive,how can his spirit rise up and solve the mess he left behind,Attah?

The man was part of the problems when he was alive,how can his spirit rise up and solve the mess he left behind,Attah?
Appiah Samuel 12 years ago

Can somebody explain to me,who is an Asante&who is not?

Can somebody explain to me,who is an Asante&who is not?
mmrosa 12 years ago

AN ASANTE IS ANYBODY WHO MATRILINEARLLY COMES FROM A TOWN OR TRADITIONAL AREA THAT OWES ALLEGIANCE TO THE GOLDEN STOOL, AND THUS THE ASANTEHENE

AN ASANTE IS ANYBODY WHO MATRILINEARLLY COMES FROM A TOWN OR TRADITIONAL AREA THAT OWES ALLEGIANCE TO THE GOLDEN STOOL, AND THUS THE ASANTEHENE
Yaw Kusi 12 years ago

Please note that Prof. K. A Busia had lost in a parliamentary contest to Mr. Yeboah-Afari of the CPP. This was the period when the British Colonial masters had not completely pulled out of Ghana. I wish to advise the writer n ...
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Please note that Prof. K. A Busia had lost in a parliamentary contest to Mr. Yeboah-Afari of the CPP. This was the period when the British Colonial masters had not completely pulled out of Ghana. I wish to advise the writer not to mix very distinctly different issues, as if it was the CPP and Nkrumah that brought the bad blood between the two sections of the Wenchi Royal Family. I wish also to jog the memory of the writer to a similar situation that happened in Kyebi, but that has not torn apart the sections of the Royal Family in Kyebi. Aaron Ofori-Atta, the son of the Okyenhene, Nana Sir Ofori Atta stood on the ticket of the CPP to contest his uncle, the late Dr. Joseph Boakye Danquah of the UP. Even though, the young Aaron Ofori-Atta defeated Dr. J.B Danquah, known as Doyen of Ghana Politics, it did not tear the royal family of Kyebi apart.. When Osagyefo Kuntunkununku became Omanhehe of Akyem Abuakwa, the people of Kyebi knew their new chief was from the CPP political tradition within the Kyebi Royal Family, but it did not tear the family apart. If you go to Kumasi, similar issues have happened before, and The royal family is intact. I advise the good people of Wenchi to come together, and unite for the development of the traditional area. God be with us. Amen!!
Uhuru 12 years ago

Kofi your piece is excellent and thanks for the history.We are just one people and need not to hate each other.

Kofi your piece is excellent and thanks for the history.We are just one people and need not to hate each other.
NII LARTEY NARTEY 12 years ago

The sum total of the article here is like politically writing about the pathetic story of divided Ghana today.

Lets all I mean every meaningful and concerned Ghanaian see ourselves as one people.

Reading such an insigh ...
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The sum total of the article here is like politically writing about the pathetic story of divided Ghana today.

Lets all I mean every meaningful and concerned Ghanaian see ourselves as one people.

Reading such an insight story of how sad the once peaceful and closely related people and state of Wenchi has become so divided because of the despicable political interest of some unscrupulous individual greedy mischieves.

Let all learn a lesson of the bad state of Wenchi a town that had produced such intelligently articulate personalities, traditionalist and great politicians yet suffer development simply because of power of some sort.

The Wenchi sad story here is exactly the reflection of the sorrowful state story of the entire country, Ghana.

Kofi, bravo! for such an inpiring story that comes to motivate us to see the need to move us forward as people and country.

We certainly can not change the past, but change for humorous and proactive attitude to respect and love one another to agree to disagree will for sure can lead us to a better future.
SETHO 12 years ago

BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF WRITING AND IT WAS NON-PARTISAN. WE NEED PEOPLE LIKE YOU TO BE IN AUTHORITY. THANK YOU

BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF WRITING AND IT WAS NON-PARTISAN. WE NEED PEOPLE LIKE YOU TO BE IN AUTHORITY. THANK YOU
KWAME ADU ( TORONTO) 12 years ago

ACCORDING HOW I READ WHAT WROTE ALL THE DIVISOINS WAS CAUSED BY DR BUSIA THEN.. IS THAT RIGHT?
HE ACCAEPTED A TITLE HE WAS NOT SUPPOSE TO...

ACCORDING HOW I READ WHAT WROTE ALL THE DIVISOINS WAS CAUSED BY DR BUSIA THEN.. IS THAT RIGHT?
HE ACCAEPTED A TITLE HE WAS NOT SUPPOSE TO...

KWAME ADU ( TORONTO) 12 years ago

BUSIA HAS BEEN A TRAITOR RIGHT FROM HIS CHILDHOOD TO HIS DEATH.. NOT A CURSE BUT THATIS HOW IT IS AND WAS

BUSIA HAS BEEN A TRAITOR RIGHT FROM HIS CHILDHOOD TO HIS DEATH.. NOT A CURSE BUT THATIS HOW IT IS AND WAS
KWAME ADU ( TORONTO) 12 years ago

HOW is your take in this question////

HOW is your take in this question////
KWAME ADU ( TORONTO) 12 years ago

There is an Akan adadge that states if you have severalgood groundnut in your mouth and one bad is taken you brings all.THE GIST IS BUSIA WAS ONE BAD APPLE AMONG THIS FAMILY THAT BROUGHT ALL THIS....

There is an Akan adadge that states if you have severalgood groundnut in your mouth and one bad is taken you brings all.THE GIST IS BUSIA WAS ONE BAD APPLE AMONG THIS FAMILY THAT BROUGHT ALL THIS....
C.Y. ANDY-K 12 years ago

I perfectly agreed with you that the fine article is wrongly titled. The problem started with one educated person, [a harbinger of similar persons like him to follow suit], known as Dr Kofi Abrefa Busia returning from UK and ...
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I perfectly agreed with you that the fine article is wrongly titled. The problem started with one educated person, [a harbinger of similar persons like him to follow suit], known as Dr Kofi Abrefa Busia returning from UK and thinking that a chieftaincy title he was not traditionally entitled to (being a member of the Ahenfie does not automatically entitled you to even inheritance of land!) should be the crowning glory of his achievement. He therefore engineered the destoolment of the incumbent. He decided to enter politics and therefore once again conspired to hand over the stool to his brother just like that, regardless of the stiff opposition of those he bamboozled to support him in his first heinous action. This is one dark legacy Busia had left for his people.

As for the political actors, they simply waded into something already messy and, as usual, muddied it until Kutu sorted things out.

For a conservative who prided himself in tradition, one would have expected that he wouldn't be behind something like that. But as I had pointed out elsewhere, his vision was one most blurred. He would have imprisoned more people than Nkrumah had he led Ghana to independence!

Andy-K
Joe -Ali 12 years ago

Infact Mr. Kyeremeh article is fantastic but somehow not the case related to antagonism between Ahemfi yefri royal family and that of the sofoase yefri royal family.The genesis of the rivalry began when Nana kusi Appea starte ...
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Infact Mr. Kyeremeh article is fantastic but somehow not the case related to antagonism between Ahemfi yefri royal family and that of the sofoase yefri royal family.The genesis of the rivalry began when Nana kusi Appea started molesting Ahenfi yefri royals when he was enstooled in the colonial era in 1951 because the then queen mother Nana Gyebuah Ababio (Adofuah)protested his enstoolment at Manshyia.As a result of Kusi Appeah's intimidation against his subjects, charges were filed against him and the Jackson committee was set up to investigate his conduct and was found guilty of abuse of power and jailed for a day based on the Jackson committee report under the British colonial government. He was customarily destooled and fled to Nigeria where Nana Mbore Bediatuo was customarily entooled in 1958 and uncostumarily destooled in 1966 by the NLC Amendment decree 112 masterminded by Dr. Busia the then political advisor to the NlC (National Liberation Council in 1966) government and chairman of center for civic education under Gen E.K Kotoka NLC. The author must bear in mind that decree 112 1966 was purported to reinstate artificial chiefs Dr. Nkrumah created but was not required to affect Nana Abrefah Mbore Bediatuo who was whose throne seized forcibly by soldiers and that was why when the Progress Party was ousted in 1971, Ahemfi Yefri royal family duly petitioned to the NRC government under Kutu Acheampong who rather in his wisdom referred the matter to the National House of chiefs unlike Gen Kotoka to review the matter. It must be noted that when Dr. Busia was the prime minister in 1969 and reinstated his brother Nana kusi Appeah who had been customarily destooled in 1958, an attempt was made to reconcile the two families but Dr. Busia declined by saying that Ahemfi yefris were not royals but hail from Tempi in the Ivory coast. This explains why family traits were needed to ascertain the true royals to the Wenchi throne. Furthermore, it was not Gen Kutu Acheampong's government that settled the Wenchi chieftaincy matter but the committee set up by the National House of Chiefs constituted by the lates Nana Sir Otubu Darko Omanhene of Assin Atandaso traditional area from the central region, Nana Oware Agyekum Omanhene of Akim bosome traditional area from the eastern region, Nana Kwao Freku Omanhene of shama traditional area from the western region, Tobge Adeladea Awomefia of Ho from the volta region and Nandom Naa Dr. Pokuu Chirii form the upper region. These eminent chiefs constituted the committee and gave their verdict declaring that the origal ancestress of Nana Yaa Asase Bodensee founder of the Wenchi state/stool is the Ahemfi yefri not Sofoase yefri accordingly and subsequently had the ruling to be white papered but was not orchestrated by General Kutu Acheampong as the writer wants the world to believe. Therefore, the Wenchi chieftaincy issue has no political undertone as envisaged but only that the issue of reinstating Nana Kusi Appeah in 1966 and destooling him in the Acheampong regime in 1971 that overthrew Kotoka(NLC) government is what is making people believing that politics or governmental interferences has contributed to dividing Wenchi. The truth of the matter is that Wenchi chieftaincy issue is rather politically distorted.
C.Y. ANDY-K 12 years ago

Thanks for adding meat to this soup. You are very correct in your assessment.

Andy-K

Thanks for adding meat to this soup. You are very correct in your assessment.

Andy-K
kofi sammy okukuseku 12 years ago

This is the best gift to my children and grand ones. The greed of Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia to covet Wenchi stool, being not satisfied for the schooling Wenchi gave him, is the curse on NPP. The lesson is to avoid greed in all fo ...
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This is the best gift to my children and grand ones. The greed of Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia to covet Wenchi stool, being not satisfied for the schooling Wenchi gave him, is the curse on NPP. The lesson is to avoid greed in all forms because Dr Kofi Abrefa Busia lost it all and left Wenchi divided.
ABENA 12 years ago

I WANT TO ASK THE WHWRE ABOUT OF PATRICK AKENTENG OR APENTENG WHO IS MARRIED TO WOMAN BY NAME NANAA A FAIR SKIN WOMAN.

I WANT TO ASK THE WHWRE ABOUT OF PATRICK AKENTENG OR APENTENG WHO IS MARRIED TO WOMAN BY NAME NANAA A FAIR SKIN WOMAN.
JANET A 12 years ago

ABENA THIS IS NOT ABOUT LOST AND FOUND . THE MAN IS ALIVE AND KICKING

ABENA THIS IS NOT ABOUT LOST AND FOUND . THE MAN IS ALIVE AND KICKING
ASENA 12 years ago

THIS MAN HAS DUPED US YO THE TUNE OF $60.000 ME AND MY HUSBAND WHO IS A DOCTOR IN CANADA. WE ARE LOOKING FOR THEM BADLY

THIS MAN HAS DUPED US YO THE TUNE OF $60.000 ME AND MY HUSBAND WHO IS A DOCTOR IN CANADA. WE ARE LOOKING FOR THEM BADLY
apoasaan 12 years ago

It happened through out the country, the cpp and up like NDC and NPP today. Dr Nkrumah benefited largely from this,

It happened through out the country, the cpp and up like NDC and NPP today. Dr Nkrumah benefited largely from this,
KOFI ELLISON 12 years ago

Kyereme:

Whenever, claimants to traditional Stools anchor their claims pursuant to what political faction is in control of national power, divisions such as the one at Wankyi proliferates. Any traditional power which teth ...
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Kyereme:

Whenever, claimants to traditional Stools anchor their claims pursuant to what political faction is in control of national power, divisions such as the one at Wankyi proliferates. Any traditional power which tethers its legitimacy to the vicissitudes of national politics as Wankyi has become, risks becoming irrelevant.

After all, the elders advise: (sebe oo): When an elder relaxing with a grandchild begins to smoke a pipe, then blows the smoke through the nostrils; and then fart at the same time, that elder has revealed all the ‘holes’ in his body! The elder has unwittingly expose himself. The Royal Family of Wankyi exposed itself by claiming legitimacy through the courts, which opened the Royal Family to political manipulation. Wankyi is just one example.

Even though I am an unabashed supporter of Chieftaincy and the beautiful traditions and paraphernalia the custom exudes, the system has been corrupted in many places. It is my considered opinion that sooner rather than later, the people will rise up in some areas to chase the Chiefs out of town and destroy that heritage! Such is what happened to other monarchs in places like France; Russia; and even in Cromwell’s England!! The young people of Wankyi must issue an ultimatum: SHAPE UP OR SHIP OUT!!!

Of course, no chieftaincy issue in Bono can be discussed without bringing Otumfuo, the Asantehene, because history matters. Also, as the elders advise: “Adwareye fooe, ansa na ensuo rebeto.” There are issues there that could be settled amicably. But some Chiefs over there tend to posture beyond their eye lid; and that makes matters worse!

Just to conclude, Kukuom is not a Bono town. Kukuom is Ahafo, and the people are pure Asantefuo.

As you may know the entire Ahafo area was Sahwi land that belonged to the Omanhene of Sahwi with his capital located at Sahwi Wiaso.

When he assumed power, Asantehene Okatakyie Opoku Ware I went to war against Ofosuhene Apenten, the Chief of Akyem Kotoku (whose lands at Agogo Hwereso; Konongo; Bompata; Dampon, etc;), had earlier been conquered and expropriated by Osei Tutu I into Asante. That land area from then on became known as Asante Akyem (that is to say the land area from Hwereso near Edweso encompassing every town and village all the way to the Pra River as border).

Ofosuhene Apenten fled and founded a new kingdom---AKYEM KOTOKU with his capital at Akyem Oda. Once established, he waged war against the Asante and ambushed the Asante army on the River Pra in 1717. But he was unable to re-conquer and take control of his lost lands now called Asante Akyem. He retreated, again to Akyem Oda. But that war in 1717 was a disaster for Asante.

Thus, Opoku Ware wanted to avenge; and he did successfully avenge the Asante disaster of 1717 against the descendants and successor of Ofosuhene Apenten of Akyem Kotoku, for what had happened on the great River Pra in 1717!.

While the Asante forces were away from Kumasi at the war front against Akyem Kototku, the Sahwihene called Abiri Moro surreptitiously entered Kumase and pounced on the defenseless women and children left behind in Kumase, and looted the place; it is said he pounded royals in mortars, and marched off the rest. When news reached Okatakyie, the Asantehene on the battlefront, he sent fighters to chase after Abiri Moro under the command of the Bantamahene (the Kumasi Kontihene). My own maternal grandfather Obrempon Akyena Hunuabobrim, Asuonwunhene (the third in position in the Kumase Konti Division or Atuo Nsoo) was part of the forces dispatched by Okatakyie to teach Abiri Moro a little lesson!

Needless to say, Abiri Moro was apprehended, the Asante prisoners were freed; Abiri Moro lost his head, all of his immense lands were taken over by Sikadwa, except Sahwi Wiaso, because Sikadwa is benevolent! This area was then called Ahafo (from Mfensi to Yamfo to Kukuom to Mim; Tepa; Goaso; Abesewa; Mankranso; Nkaseem; Betianko; Kuno; Akyerensua, Akoodie, etc.etc.) because of the abundance of game and bush meat (ewuramunam) for hunters. The area was settled by Aasantefuo; and the land was parceled out among Kumase Chiefs who held it on behalf of Sikadwa. That is how come my matriarchal family became owners of a large trust at Ahafo! All the Chiefs of Ahafo swear the oath of allegiance to Otumfuo. That is the history. It must NEVER be misrepresented or toyed with.

By the way it was from then on that the Asantehene created the office (Chief) called Ankobia or Home Guard. The Ankobiahene position was copied by all Chiefs and his role was to stay behind to deal with any eventuality as done by the Chief who raided Kumase.

The Kukuomhene joined with some Bono Chiefs during the Nkrumah era because as part of Nkrumah’s nefarious plan to weaken the Asantehene (which he failed miserably, as did the British and others ignominiously), president Nkrumah ‘elevated’ the Chief of Kukuom to an Omanhene (paramountcy) status, and called him Ahafohene. Of course, that joke could not be sustained, and could not last.!!

Kyereme, call me when you have the time. I’m glad you’ve provided a real insight and education into the Wankyi affair that most were unaware. Now you understand why I sometimes lovingly call you “Abrefa”! Thanks.

(I am Kofi Ellison and I approve this message!)
Ishaq 12 years ago

It is very sad and painful to read this writeout. May they find a way to reunite.

It is very sad and painful to read this writeout. May they find a way to reunite.
Kwadwo 12 years ago

I am from Sunyani and I enjoyed reading your piece. There was law a firm there known as "Ahenfi Yefri Chambers". I believe it was headed by one lawyer Owusu Ansah from Wenchi. After your history lesson, I now
understand the ...
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I am from Sunyani and I enjoyed reading your piece. There was law a firm there known as "Ahenfi Yefri Chambers". I believe it was headed by one lawyer Owusu Ansah from Wenchi. After your history lesson, I now
understand the meaning of those words. You are credit to your Wenchi community. Good job. It was a good read.

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How politics has divided two royal families in Wenchi

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