The Ejisu Traditional Area consists of a number of towns and villages who are Twi speaking Akans.
These towns and villages were all founded by the group of the Asona clan that founded Asotwe, Ejisu and Bonwire.
Akan tribes mostly have eight (it’s seven in some Akan states) Abusua (Matrilineal clans) in each state.
The eight [Asante] clans are Oyoko, Bretuo, Agona, Asona, Asenie, Aduana, Ekuona, and Asakyiri.
It is said that more people generally belong to the Asona clan than to any other clan among the Akans of Ghana.
They do not have the same names in each state but each has an equivalent clan (e.g. in Fante areas along the coast, the Asante clan of Oyoko is referred to as Dehyena or Yokofo).
The symbol of the Asona is the crow or wild boar.
When greeted by a member of the Asona, the reply should be “Yaa Ofori nana”.
Members of the Asona clan are said to have first settled at the present site of Besease, a town 13 miles south of Kumasi on the Kumasi-Accra road.
A second source also claim the Asona migrated from Kyebi Ahwenease and later moved to settle at Besease.
So no matter how you view it, each version of the story confirms Ejisu Besease as the place where members of the Asona clan settled before spreading out to settle at different locations.
According to oral traditions, the name Ejisu was derived from the Twi words “ɔbɔ n’ adwe” which is translated as “he breaks his nuts” which later became known as Adweso because the town was established in a place full of nuts.
It is believed the entire Bisease area was already sprouting with Cola Nut Trees while the nearby town (which later became Ejisu because nutcrackers were busy working on cracking nuts from palm trees at that area) was naturally filled with Palm Trees
This was later corrupted to “Ejisu” by means of euphony through the passage of time.
The Ejisuhene owes allegiance to the Sika Dwa Kofi (Golden Stool) and swears to the Asantehene with Mponponsuo sword, the Principal Sword of Amanhene (Paramount chiefs) and other senior chiefs of the component state of the Asante Confederacy use in swearing the oath of allegiance to the Asantehene.
Since ancient times (1700s) the, Ejisu have belonged to the royal Asona clan.
Tradition has it that it was an elephant that brought the Asona clan from the ground into the world at a place called Adaboye, which is now commonly known as Abuakwa.
The elephant emerged with a woman called Boade, who begat Ofori Panin, Nyarko-Brei, and Dokuwah.
Ofori Panin was the Paramount chief of the Asona clan in Akyem Abuakwa.
Boade died and was succeeded by her daughter, Dokuwah, as the Queen Mother of the Asona clan.
When Ofori Panin also died, he left many stool properties, which were fiercely contested among the Asona royals, that resulted into a civil war which broke out one Wednesday.
During this time the Asona clan was independent and was not subservient to anyone.
As a result of this civil war the various members of the Asona clan disintegrated into various localities, namely into Buabinso, Kyebi, Mpraeso, Ejisu, ɔfenso and Beposo.
The male elder’s Stool of the Asona was situated at Buabinso.
That of Akyem Abuakwa was for the female elder’s Stool of the Asona.
The Asona Queen Mother, Dokuwah, migrated from Abuakwa Adaboye to a place called Kokobiante, and from there to Akyem Abuakwa.
Nyarko Brei also migrated to Adanse Akrofuom, She begat Amponsah Ahenasa, and Gyawah.
Gyawah also begat Ejisuhene Aboagye Agyei who contested for the Stool of his uncle, Amponsah Ahenasa, after his death.
Aboagye Agyei did not succeed and therefore emigrated to Amansie Patabu near Lake Bosomtwi where he died and was buried in the Royal Mausoleum.
The Asona villages Apinkra and Nuaso were asked to watch the body.
Asuna Gyima succeeded Aboagye Agyei and brought the people of Ejisu from Patabu to their present settlement.
Aboagye Agyei, the founder of Ejisu with his people from apenkra were said to have met another Asona group when they arrived.
They then bought the land from the Akyawkromhene, Nana Obui Asamoah, for 80 Preguans.
A certain chief called Kwakye Depoah was an ɔbrempong (prominent but evil man) in the neighbourhood who harrassed the surrounding villages.
The Ejisuhene fought and beheaded him for the sake of peace.
Asuna Gyima died and Duko Pim succeeded him.
During this time Denkyirahene, called Ntim Gyakari, was the overlord of all the chiefs.
This Denkyirahene harassed those subject states under his rule, with the result that they resented his tyrannous rule, and ultimately formed a plot for his overthrow.
The celebrated ɔkɔmfo Anɔkye assured these malcontents that they could conquer Ntim Gyakari if they would all amalgamate and put up a united front in battle against their overlord.
Accordingly, these several states became one compact body and it was during consultation with ɔkɔmfo Anɔkye about the war when he assured them that they would be victorious provided some men would give themselves for sacrifices.
Three men would be needed for the sacrifices and one was to be buried alive.
His hands would appear at the surface of the earth and two brass pans full of war medicine mixed in water would be put in the two palms for the warriors to bath before they left the war front.
The second volunteer would be butchered to death and his flesh thrown away for vultures to take to the land of Denkyira.
Wherever any piece of flesh would fall the men of the place would lose their bravery and become cowards.
The third volunteer should be a Paramount chief.
He would be in front of the advancing soldiers.
He was not to fire a shot even if he is met by an enemy.
He should look on for the enemy to shoot him.
Those who volunteered were; Nana Asenso Kofo, chief of Adwumakasekese, who was buried alive.
Nana Diko Pim I, Chief of Ejisu gave himself up to be butchered to death and fell in the field of battle on one Sunday (Kwasiada).
Hence that day was consecrated to the Ejisu Oath to perpetuate the memory of Ejisuhene Duko Pim at the Battle of Feyiase.
Before Ejisuhene Duko Pim I sacrificed himself and went to the field of battle, he made arrangements with the Asantehene ɔpemsoɔ Osei Tutu I that he would never inflict capital punishment by execution on any member of the Asona clan after his death.
This arrangement was accordingly made between ɔpemsoɔ Osei Tutu I before going to Feyiase to face off with the Denkyira.
Read Also: The Battle of Feyiase: Rituals Performed by Okomfo Anokye in The Heat of The Battle
It is only the Omanhene of Ejisu who does not make an appointment with the Asantehene through Okyeame (Linquist) but rather through the Nsumankwaahene.
It is part of the privileges Nana Diko Pim I was made to enjoy after his sacrifice during the Denkyira war.
Read Also: The Battle of Feyiase: Chilling Events at Denkyira Prior to The Battle
Nana Tweneboah Kodua I, Omanhene of Kumawu, also gave himself up to be sacrificed
Though he was armed, he was forbidden to shoot: therefore, he was killed.
Nana Tweneboah Kodua also requested that nobody from his state should be sacrificed in any form.
Again, whatever a drummer from any Asante states starts drumming on atumpan drums, his appellation should be sounded to remind the future generations that they too should sacrifice themselves for the Asante Nation.
Nana Boahen Anantuo Omanhene of Mampong, volunteered to lead the war.
He, however asked that since he was taking the place of Asantehene as the commander in chief of the Asante army, his stool should be next to that of Asantehene.
According oral traditions, Ejisu’s attainment of paramouncy dates back to the 1885 dynastic quarrel in the Asante Kingdom over who should be the next Asantehene after the death of Asantehene Kwaku Duah II.
The long campaign for the Asantehene position by two (2) candidates, Yaw Twereboana and Kwaku Duah (Nana Prempeh I) brought divisions among the Asante confederacy dividing the states into two factions namely “tuntumfoɔ” (the blacks) and “kɔkɔɔfoɔ (the reds) so that while “tuntumfoɔ” supported Yaw Twereboana, “kɔkɔɔfoɔ” also supported Kwaku Duah (Nana Prempeh I).
The Mamponghene Nana Kwasi Owusu Sekyere, Asotwehene Nana Kwame Kyei, Kokofuhene Nana Osei Asibe, the chief of Agona, Nsutahene, Sawuahene and other chiefs supported Yaw Twereboana while Ejisuhene Nana Kwasi Afrane I, Juabenhene, Takyimanhene, Offinsohene, Bekwaihene and other chiefs also supported Kwaku Duah (Nana Prempeh I).
Eventually “kɔkɔɔfoɔ” (the reds) led by Ejisuhene Nana Kwasi Afrane I as the war general emerged victorious and Kwaku Duah (Nana Prempeh I) became the Asantehene and Ejisuhene Nana Kwasi Afrane I beheaded Sawuahene for Asantehene Prempeh I.
Asantehene Prempeh I after emerging victorious decided to reward Ejisuhene Nana Kwasi Afrane I for helping him.
Nana Kwasi Afrane I was asked by Prempeh I to request for anything as reward.
Nana Kwasi Afrane I is said to have requested for Ejisu’s control over all the Asona towns and villages that were scattered but served Kumase directly.
These towns and villages include: Nuaso, Bonwire, Tano Odumase, Bosore, Abrakaso, Nyenaso, Asotwe, Onwe, Abenase, Ampabame, Ejisu Manhyia and Boankra.
The request of Nana Kwasi Afrane I was granted and all the towns and villages came under him (the Ejisuhene).
Nana Kwasi Afrane I, apart from given the Paramouncy of the Traditional area was also given a Golden Slipper by Asantehene Prempeh I.
He also received Ntahera from Mampong and Apirede from Nsuta and Asantehene confirmed them for his use.
According to oral tradition, the defeat of Yaw Twereboana’s supporters made them desert their towns.
The people of Kokofu crossed the River Pra into the British Protectorate.
Those from Mampong and Nsuta went to Atebubu.
There was even the move by the people of Mampong to become British subjects.
Ejisu have been an integral part of the Asante Kingdom since its formation and various chiefs of Ejisu have fought many wars to defend the Golden Stool which includes Feyiase war, Asante- Fante war, Gyaman war, Nkoranza war etc.
Yaa Asantewaa, who led the formidable but ultimately unsuccessful resistance to British colonial rule of the Asante Kingdom from April 1900 to March 1901 was born at Besease, a small town south of Ejisu about 12 miles from Kumasi the capital of the Asante Kingdom.
She was a member of Asona royal clan and her brother Nana Kwesi Afrane Okpese was one of the two principal war leaders who supported the installment of Kwaku Dua III also known as Prempeh I against the rival faction led by Twereboana and his supporters from Mampong, Nsuta and Kokofu.
Her brother was the protector of the Golden stool of the Asante nation.
In 1887 when the female stool of Ejisu became vacant, Nana Kwesi Afrane Okpese, appointed his sister Yaa Asantewaa as the Queen Mother of Ejisu.
In 1896 after the British arrested the Asantehene, his mother and other Kings and chiefs of Kumasi, including her grandson Kwesi Afrane I and took them first to Elmina Castle and then to Sierra Leone for imprisonment, she became actively involved in the struggle.
With the arrest of her grandson who was the Chief of Ejisu, she became both king and queen of Ejisu, as well as a guardian of the Golden stool.
It is in this position that she was assembled along with some kings of Asante on 28 March 1900, when the British governor issued a series of announcements including the search of the highly elusive Golden Stool.
After the Asante Kingdom was charged with an indemnity to pay for the Treaty of Fomena and that the Golden Stool would have to be surrendered to the British authorities, that she said at a meeting at the home of the principal chiefs of Kumasi that :
“How can a proud and brave people like that Asante sit back and look while white men took away the King and Chiefs and then humiliate them with demands for the Golden Stool.
The Golden Stool only means money to the white man.
They searched and dug everywhere for it.
I shall not pay one predawn to the Governor.
If you the Chiefs of Asante are going to behave like cowards and not fight, you should exchange your loin cloths for my undergarments”.
With this, she brought the Kingdom of Asante into a war of resistance against the British, which started on April 2, 1900 and lasted till March 3, 1901 when Yaa Asantewaa was arrested, effectively ending all the armed resistance.
Though folklore says she was betrayed by bounty hunters, later historians suggest she surrendered herself to the British to spare her daughter and grandchildren, who were being held hostage in the fort at Kumasi.
Before she was locked in that fort on March 3, 1901, 45 other leaders of the Asante resistance had already been arrested.
She and 15 other leaders of the rebellion, as well as many of their dependents, were exiled to the Seychelles island on 22nd May 1901 where she died 20 years later.
Her remains and those of others exiled were repatriated to Asante and given royal burials when Prempeh I returned from exile in 1924.
The Asantehene Prempeh I was not repatriated until 1924, after almost 30 years.
In 1960 Yaa Asantewaa Girls’ Secondary School was established in her honor.
A museum in her memory was also established in Ejisu.
Many chiefs have ruled the Ejisu Traditional Area and the current Paramount Chief of Ejisu is Nana Afranie Okese IV who succeeded the late Nana Aboagye Agyei II as the Omanhene (Paramount chief) of Ejisu Traditional Area in 2008.
Ejisu is described as the cultural hub of the Ashanti Region with its great history relating to the contribution of its legendary queen mother, Yaa Asantewaa.
