Akuapem History

[Ɔkyeame Kwame]

Akuapem History In the olden days, Akuapems comprising the Kyerepongs and the Guans were under the rule of the King of Akwamu who was then living at a place called Nyanawase, near Nsawam. The King of Akwamu ruled the Akuapems with a very strong hand and his subjects were very cruel to women of Akuapem. Unable to bear the treatment being meted out to them, the Akuapems united with the people of Gyekiti, then Kamenas, and initiated a fight against the Akwamus for their independence. The Akwamus were brave and ponderous fighters so the Akuapems could not withstand their might. Failure was imminent. The Akuapems heard of the unconquerable supremacy and the war strategy of the people of Akyem Abuakwa and so they went to King Ofori Panyin of Abuakwa to seek his assistance. King Ofori Panyin of Akyem Abuakwa granted the request of the people of Akuapem and deputed his own blood relation Prince Safori, with an army of warriors to assist the Akuapems. Prince Safori and his army came to Akuapem and succeeded in driving the Akwamus across the Volta River. After this great conquest of the Akwamus, Prince Safori left the camp for a village called Amamprobi and summoned all the Akuapems to go there for a victory meeting. At the meeting, victorious Prince Safori requested the Akuapems to untie the cartridge belt from his waist, meaning that they should pay him so that we could return to Akyem Abuakwa. As the people of Akuapem were incapable of paying any reward commensurate with the great feat, they unanimously pleaded with Prince Safori to agree to remain in Akuapem as their king. Prince Safori consented and went back to Akyem to inform his uncle, Ofori Panyin of it. The King of Abuakwa also gave his approval and Prince Safori came back to Akuapem to be their first king. That was in 1730. 1733 - BIRTH OF AKROPONG To confirm and ratify the agreement, the Akuapems decided to take an oath of the fetish Kyenku of Obosomase. They all met at Abotakyi and the oath was administered with the promise that they would never withdraw their allegiance to King Safori or any of his successors. For administrative convenience King Safori moved his seat from Amamprobi to Nsorem, the present site of the Akropong-Abiriw market, just before he died in 1731. In the same year, his successor, King Fianko Betuafo began establishing the town of Akropong around the huge Mpeni tree and it was during the reign of the fourth occupant of the Ofori stool- King Kwapong Kyerefo- that the Black Stool was moved in 1743 from Nsorem to be housed at Akropong and the town of Akropong made the capital and the seat of government of Akuapem. DIVISIONS WITHIN AKUAPEM TRADITIONAL AREA Shortly after the founding at Akuapem State the then Okuapehene, Fianko Betuafo who succeeded Sakyiama Tenten after the death of king Safori , set out to organize the new “Territory” into a regular Twi order to establish the basis of Chiefly Seniority. The common enemy (The Akwamus), having been driven away, and besides the fear that they might return, there was the need for the new regime to institute an effective internal security system to face any future aggression. This consideration influenced the process of allocating offices and of creating new stools. Five divisions were created and are described as follows. A) Kuronti Division Nana Ofei Kwasi Agyeman, the Gyakiti warlord, who originally took center stage in inviting the Akyem Abuakwa contingent and led the warriors to crush the Akwamus, was made the Senior Divisional Chief with the title of Adontenhene No.1 and Akroponghene. In the course of time, the title “Adonten No.1” was re-designated to that of Kurontihene. The change of title, however did not offset his position as the Senior Divisional chief and Akroponghene. B) Gyase Division The Akyems who were made to reside at Akropong and Amanokrom were made “Koman” and the position of Gyasehene was given to Nana Kwatia Akompi, the leader of the collateral branch of the Akyems who settled at Amanokrom. C) Nifa Division The seven Kyerepong towns of Abiriw, Dawu, Awukugua, Adukrom, Apirede, Adonse and Aseseeso constituted the right wing or the Nifa Division of Akuapem with the Nifahene as the Divisional Chief based at Adukrom. D) Benkum Division Lareth Ahenase, Lareth Kubease, Mamfe, Mampong, Abotakyi, Tutu and Obosomase constituted the left wing portion of the state or Benkum Division with the Chief of Lareth Ahenase as the Benkumhene. THE NATIVE ADMINISTRATION (DIVISIONAL CHEIFS) ORDER OF 1934 Order by the Governor “In exercise of the powers vested in me by Section One hundred and twenty-one of the Native Administration Ordinance, and upon the request of the State Council of the Akuapem State. I THEREBY ORDER as follows Schedule STATE DIVISION HEADQUARTERS POSITION Akuapem Kuronti Akropong Kurontihene Amamprobi Asonkonhene** Adonten Aburi Adontenhene Gyase Amanokrom Gyasehene Nifa Adukrom Nifahene Benkum Larteh Ahinase Benkumhene This Order may be cited as the Native Administration (divisional Chiefs) Order, 1934). ** The Asonkohene position is no more in existence in Akuapem. http://www.akuapemkuronti.org/akuapemhistory.html