Nana Kwabena Atta (the 2nd King of Bompata in the line of succession) was a royal of the Bompata Atwea and Anyinase family who was born in 1814 at Anyinase Akyem Kotoku in the Eastern Region of Ghana to Nana Adwoa Amakyewa, Queenmother of Bompata and Opanin Kwaku Kyerematen of Anyinase Akyem Kotoku.
He was the first child and succeeded his maternal uncle, the legendary Nana Addo Kwaata, the founder and first Chief of Bompata, as Bompatahene (Chief of Bompata) in 1869, reigning until 1901.
In 1877, the people of Dwaben rebelled against the Golden Stool, and when they couldn’t withstand the Asante forces, they sought refuge at Bompata.
What Caused This Rebellion?
In 1824, Osei Yaw Akoto became Asantehene in succession to the redoubtable Nana Osei Bonsu (c. 1801-1824).
2 years later the myth of Asante invincibility was broken when the Coastal states in alliance with British forces routed the Asante army at the infamous Battle of Akantamansu (wa ka ntam ato so) in 7th August 1826.
The defeat of the Asantes and the bitter aftermath marked the beginning of the destruction of the relationship between Asante and Dwaben.
From that time, for almost 50 years, there was tension between Asante and Dwaben which was fueled by suspicion, recriminations and rancour.
Now, on the eve of the Akantamanso war Kwaku Boateng, Omanhene of Dwaben (Juaben) who was a ‘personal favourite of Osei Bonsu’ displayed reluctance to support Nana Osei Yaw Akoto as new Asantehene.
Several oral sources agree he intentionally delayed (when he was leading the Dwaben contingent) Nana Osei Yaw Akoto’s advancement on Accra through time wasting when he consulted a powerful fetish priest called Odente at Kratchi.
He also wasted time by saying his Military Chest (a carrier which had ammunition) was lost in the camp at Sawua (Samang).
In the heat of the Akantamanso war and confusion of defeat, Nana Osei Yaw Akoto, who had taken the Golden Stool to Battle ( a powerful replica of it, for the original one was never to be taken out) is said to have fled, leaving the stool to be captured by the Akwamu and Ada contingents led by Nana Akoto of Akwamu.
The stool was bravely retrieved by Nana Kwaku Boateng with the able support of another ferocious fighter, Nana Antwi of Kuntanase.
Strangely or perhaps to allow for a better security over the stool, Nana Boateng did not immediately return the stool to Nana Osei Akoto.
He is alleged to have kept it till the Asante forces approached the vicinity of Kumasi before handling it back to the Asantehene (It was in his possession for at least a month).
Nana Osei Akoto was enraged by Nana Boateng’s conduct and accused him of stealing the gold and other ornaments that embellished the stool.
This incident created a long standing bad blood between Dwaben and Asante.
Few months after, the tension between the two kings was rekindled when a fierce succession dispute arose involving the Nsuta Stool.
The death of Nana Yaw Sekyere, King of Nsuta in the battle of Akantamanso created a vacancy on the Nsuta Stool.
The succession of the stool became the subject of dispute between two rival parties:
1. Wiredu Kwatia Abrefi
2. Okwa Donkono (Donkoh)
Wiredu Kwatia and Abrefi had the support of a majority of the citizenry of Nsuta.
These are all antecedents to what was to come and happen that led the entire Dwabens, including their king, Queen, Royal Family, prominent families to move out of Kumasi (Asante lands) which was called “The Great Migration under King Asafo Agyei”.
Yes! After many years (close to 50 years) Nana Asafo Agyei took over as Dwaben King and started to make peace between the Asantes and Dwabens. But it didn’t work.
Nana Yaw Omane, the Effiduasehene was involved in what became later the Asafo Adjei war which was fought between Juaben (Dwaben) and Kumasi.
The outcome of the war led to Dwaben migrating southwards towards Akyem.
Dwaben migrated together with Effiduase, Asokore, Oyoko among other towns located in the vicinity.
They were given shelter and settlement in what has become the New Juaben state, which now serves as the capital of Eastern Region.
Asantehene granted amnesty and Nana Yaw Kra led his people back from Akyem with some black stools.
Three other chiefs followed but were destooled thereafter, Nana Kwame Owusu succeeded Nana Yaw Kra then followed Odua Were and finally Adu Ameyaw ll.
The Effiduase town of New Juaben (Koforidua) and the Effiduase town of Asante have blood relation.
Effiduase Royal Family belongs to the Biretuo Clan (Etwiefuo).
Effiduasehene swear allegiance to Mamponhene.
Historically, Effiduase was among one of the warrior towns protecting Asante from the South in the days of war.
King Asafo Agyei and his compatriots Yaw Omane of Effiduase and Anka Akyemfour, Chief of Asokore traveled to Cape Coast to petition the British Government for ammunition to continue the war against the Asantes but this was declined.
The bulk of the migrants became squatters on the lands around the site of modern Koforidua.
In March 1877, the British Government began negotiations with the Adontenhene of Akyim Abuakwa, Nana Ampao, for land to resettle the Dwaben people in the vicinity of Kukurantuni but this was resisted by Nana Asafo Agyei because they wanted them to settle in the Kukurantuni forest.
He was detained at the Elmina Castle on August 4, 1877 exiled to Lagos, Nigeria together with Yaw Omane and Anka for persistently plotting to renew the war with Asante.
In May 1879, Omane and Anka were brought back to the Gold Coast.
In October 1879, Nana Asafo Agyei was also repatriated to Accra and released to join his people at Koforidua but he was still unrelenting and opposed the British so he was sent back to Lagos where he died.
How Nana Alexander Kwabena Atta Brought Christianity to Bompata
Additionally, the Amantena people, who had murdered Osafee, the Asantehene’s linguist, also sought shelter at Bompata, fearing attack by the Asantehene’s forces.
Nana Kwabena Atta, the Bompatahene compassionately accepted them and later pleaded for their forgiveness through Adumhene to Asantehene.
Fearing to be attacked by Asantehene and his forces, Nana Kwabena Atta invited the Basel missionaries to Bompata in 1880, seeking protection and a peaceful relationship.
The Basel missionaries on the inland ridges were closer to the traditional rulers; some in fact nearer than they expected.
Fritz Ramseyer was taken prisoner by Asante troops and with his young family was held captive for over four years, (1869-74).
In his diary he recorded that he used the enforced experience in royal Kumasi to good advantage, preaching in the streets `without anybody daring to answer’.
He was assured that the king wished to have a missionary in the place, `because he knows and believes that it is a blessing to have such people of God to pray for him and his people.
The Basel-related Church in Ghana was dominated by expatriates more than many other Churches.
These were great Swiss and German missionary personalities like:
1. Christaller
2. SuÈss
3. Buck
4. Zimmermann
5. Ramseyer
and others were of unusually high calibre, and long-lived as well.
This expatriate prominence resulted sometimes in `the Mission’s failure to build up a group of efficient and loyal local agents in proportion to the number of missionaries present’.
This was possibly one cause of the rather modest evangelistic expansion.
Despite the presence of many Western missionaries, some Africans took a strong leadership role.
Samson K. Boateng of Bompata is one example.
Bompata was originally only a small unimportant hamlet.
In 1877 the rebellion of Dwaben against the Golden Stool drove some of them from their homes to take shelter at Bompata, which was under a powerful chief, Alexander Nana Kwabena Atta.
Even there, they were open to sudden attack, so Nana Kwabena Atta, having heard of the Basel strangers, sent an invitation to them.
Ramseyer responded to the invitation, and sent a catechist, Philip Kwabi, who was later replaced by Samson Boateng.
The latter had a pleasing personality and the added advantage of being related to some of the prominent Dwaben people.
The chief and elders at Bompata gave him a piece of land and were so co-operative that until he had won his first five converts, he actually stayed in the house of the abosomfo (traditional priest).
Such men often showed a certain professional solidarity with Christian pastors and catechists.
Boateng, ordained in 1898, stayed at Bompata for 16 years, long enough to establish himself as one of its leaders.
He saw a progressive and well-ordered Christian community emerge.
To a large extent the first congregation at Bompata consisted of `ex-slaves and dissident royals’.
A group of twenty-five (25) newcomers in 1896: fourteen (14) men and eleven (11) women originated from twelve different places.
The proportion of slaves was hard to ascertain, since reference to slave origin was a serious offence, and a chief could even be `de-stooled’ for mentioning it.
But the proportion of slaves and `pawns’ was no doubt considerable.
The Christian congregations also formed a breeding ground for discontented young men in the community who later led the opposition against the chiefs.
It was Boateng who brought the first cocoa pods to Bompata; he also introduced oranges and other exotic fruits, and goats.
When a school and a chapel were built, the pastor and the teacher represented such progress and security that in the Yaa Asantewaa rebellion of 1900, the chief and people of Bompata remained on the side of the British.
The administration strengthened the chief’s power by giving him authority to try civil and criminal court cases according to British or customary law.
As soon as Rev. Ramseyer arrived at Bompata, he sent Cathecist Philip Kwabi to spread the gospel.
As earlier mentioned, In 1890, teacher Samuel Boateng replaced Kwabi and was stationed permanently at Bompata as the first minister of the Church.
Alexander Nana Kwabena Atta allocated a significant piece of land for the mission, stretching from Opanin Timothy Brefo’s house in the western direction to River Atrubu and in the southern direction to River Anwomasu, ultimately reaching River Subin.
In appreciation, Rev. Ramseyer gave Nana Kwabena Atta £3 (Three pounds) as a gift and £3 (Three pounds) as a “Drink” fee for the land.
In 1893, Rev. Boateng requested Nana Kwabena Atta to provide pupils for the Basel Mission School.
In response, Nana Odokosanya (Alexander) Kwabena Atta generously offered his son, E.K. Kyerematen, and his nephew, Yaw Wusu, to be among the first students of the school, paving the way for the education of many others in the community.
Again through his leadership, the first cocoa pods, oranges, and other exotic fruits were introduced to Bompata, and subsequently, these crops were exported to Ashanti and other regions, benefiting numerous communities.
Under his leadership and Rev. Boateng’s, the first botanical garden in Ashanti was established at Bompata, serving as a hub for agricultural innovation and development.
Nana Kwabena Atta was baptized by Rev. Ramseyer and christened Alexander (corrupted to Odokosanya by his people).
Nana Odokosanya Kwabena Atta, a proud member of the Aninsua & Bompata, Atwea – Anyinase family, was a kind, generous, disciplined, and God-fearing person who ensured the growth of the Basel Mission Church and education in Bompata.
He was married to Obaapanin Akomaa (deceased) and had five children:
1. Kyerematen Panin
2. Ntori
3. Dada
4. Bempomaa
5. E.K. Kyerematen (all deceased).
THERE IS EVIDENCE OF A FAMILY TREE TRACING THE ROYAL BLOOD-LINE OF NANA KWABENA ATTA, BOMPATAHENE (NANA OFOSUA, THE MOTHER OF NANA AKOMENTAM AND ANOPIM) OF BOMPATA.
Now, the turmoil of war in 1874 drove the people at Dwaben to become refugees.
When they asked for asylum within the Gold Coast colony, the Basel missionary Buhl advised the government to have them settled at Akim.
There the Methodists worked with them and Koforidua became `the capital of refugees’.
It grew into a vigorous community and the original shack used for preaching, dedicated in 1886, was replaced in four years by a proper chapel.
Missionary Karl Buck had encouraging results in Akim.
At Kibi, where David Asante had been active, he found a congregation of 150 members.
Within three years he opened seven out-stations and had baptized more than 500, mainly slaves, converted by their own fellows, men who had been instructed by the missionary.
By giving advice on a variety of new cash crops, such as yams and coconuts, Buck helped considerably in raising the socio-economic level of the whole community.
Clean and comfortable Christian villages soon developed.
SOURCES/ BIBLIOGRAPHY
A history of the Church in Africa by Bengt Sundkler Christopher Steed (Page 214 and 215 Bompata History; expatriates and Africans).
An Essay on Child Training in Asante Akyem Bompata by Emmanuel Amankwah Kyeremanten, Associate Student, Institute of Education, University of Gold Coast, Achimota 1954/55 Session (Page 12-15) Ownership of Bompata.
The Inculturation of Christianity in Ghana, A case study on Bompata by Nicole Erin Cashen (Page 33 historical background of Bompata).
Ghana Notes and Queries (historical Society Of Ghana No. 12.) June 1972 Page 20-23.
An Outline of Asante History Part 2 Vol. 1 by Osei Kwadwo (Bompata State).
Page 144 paragraph 2 to 5 1890-1990 Bompata Presbyterian Church Centenary celebration (Brochure and Programme).
Page 11- 12; & 32 paragraph 3 line 3-5. Aninsua & Bompata Atwea – Anyinase Family History Book, compiled by Francis Ohene Bosompem, M. P. Frimpong, J. B. A. Kesson and Nana Kwadwo Tieku (Akwamuhene, Bompata). (Page 124-129).
THE BACKGROUND TO THE DEPORTATION OF KING ASAFO AGYEI AND THE FOUNDATION OF NEW DWABEN
R. Addo-Fening https://www.jstor.org/stable/41406526
Transactions of the Historical Society of Ghana
Vol. 14, No. 2 (DECEMBER 1973), pp. 213-228 (16 pages)
Published By: Historical Society of Ghana
Towards Resolving The Crisis in New Juaben
https://www.modernghana.com/news/338632/towards-resolving-the-crisis-in-new-juaben.html
