Origin of Tribes in Ghana: The Kwehu People Final Part

Gyima left Adanse Ayaase together with his clan brothers and embarked on escaping the numerous wars that were plaguing the Adanse area by the then powerful Denkyira forces. The clan brothers like Nana Boahene Anantuo, Nana Mposo Frimpong and Nana Adu Gyamfi settled at Mampong-Ashanti, Ashanti Effiduase and Ashanti Gyamase respectively. Till today, these three ancestral homes of the Tena-Bretuo clan-brothers maintain amiable spirit of brotherhood. Nana Esono Gyima could not further his journey to the mountainous area of Kwawu as planned, and instead settled at Tokwaboho, a village near Ashanti Effiduase where he later died. At Tokwaboho, Nana Gyima was enstooled a sub-chief under the kingship of Nana Atakora Panin and so as tradition demands, his nephew Nana Akuamoa Mampong Agyei succeeded him as a sub-chief. But he was scared to participate in the wars between Juaben and Asante Mampong on the one hand and between Yeji and Asante Mampong on the other. At the request of Nana Atakora Panin of Ashanti Mampong, Nana Akuamoa Mampong Agyei and his followers left Tokwaboho to temporarily settle at Hwidiem in Ashanti Akim. Nana Ohemen, who was a sub-chief under Nana Ameyaw of Effiduase was invited by Nana Mampong Agyei to accompany him to Hwidiem because of his dexterity at war front. Surprisingly, at Hwidiems Nana Akuamoa Mampong Agyei created wing positions for his followers. Obirimfa Ahue was made Gyasehene, Kwame Onini Afari became Benkumhene and Ohemen whose skill at war was praise-worthy, became Osafohene, (the Front Guard). Nana Mampong Agyei himself retained the leadership as the Paramount Chief. Later, Ohemen, the great warrior became the chief of Abetifi. It is no surprise that Abetifi stool, till today, is tagged with the title, Adontenhene of Kwahu Traditional area. Nana Akuamoa Mampong Agyei married Obenewaa Bona, a royal family member of Kwame Onini Afari who later founded Kwawu Aduamoa. Since then, this traditional marriage relationship has hypothetically existed in the living memory of every Omanhene of Kwahu and the royal lineage of Aduamoa. At Hwiediem, the then founder of Ashanti Akim, Frempong Manso, demanded Akuamoa Mampong Agyei swore an oath of allegiance before him; a move which Mampong Agyei rejected and therefore decided to move farther up to the Dwerebe Hill towards the Kodiabe Kingdom. This new settlement initially called OKwahu Mampong, (named after Nana Akuamoa Mampong Agyei) was later called Ankaase. Nana Mampong Agyei’s brave scout left Ankaase for a distance of about two miles to discover the present day location at the bank of river Subiri. This new spot was named Abene after (the originator) Odiabene. Abene continues to be the capital town of Kwahu Traditional Area and the seat of the Paramount Chief of Kwahu. According to Nana Simpeh Wiredu II, Okwawu Krontihene, by way of preventing wars and destoolments, Nana Akuamoa Mampong Agyei appointed his clan brothers as sub-chiefs under his Paramountcy. The royal stool of Kwahu and the major sub-chiefs of Abene such as the Krontihene, Adehyehene, Akwamuhene, Akyeamehene are all members of the Tena clan and descendants of Mampong Agyei family members who accompanied him. History holds it that, Nana Akuamoa Mampong Agyei lived for several years till he miraculously disappeared towards the top of one big tree called Odadee. The site has since been passionately remembered and occasionally worshiped by a fetish priest called Ampongagyei Komfo. Immediately following Nana Mampong Agyei was Nana Diawuo whose name is accredited to the stool as the initiator who carved and engraved it. The Stool therefore is traditionally called, ‘ Esono Gyima and Mampong Agyei -akongua’. It is engraved with silver and two crossed elephant tusks symbolizing the ‘Wealth of Kwahu State’. In resemblance to the silver stool of Kwahu State is that of the Ashanti Mampong which similarly belongs to the Tena-Bretuo clan. The present paramount chief, Daasebre Akuamoa Boateng II, is the eighteenth in succession to the ‘Esono Gyima and Mampong Agyei.Stool’; with Nana Akuamoa Mampong Agyei being the first followed by Nana Diawuo. The relationship between Adanse Ayaaase, Ashanti Mampong and Kwahu Abene goes back to the fifteenth century that is before 1600 Daasebre Akuamoa Boateng II is the current occupant of the Kwahu royal stool and a direct descendant of Esono Gyima and Akuamoa Mampong Agyei Stool of the Etena/Bretuo Clan. He was born to Okwawuhemaa Nana Abena Gyamfua II and the late MpraesoHene, Nana Ampadu. He is a true royal, having both of his parents from the royal lineages of Kwahu traditional area. OKwawuhene, Daasebre Akuamoah Boateng II is a lawyer by profession and former chairman of Ghana Cocoa Board. He was installed Paramount chief of Kwahu on 26th October 1971. As the President of Kwahu Traditional Area, he was once the President of Eastern Regional House of Chiefs; a position he has held for 2 consecutive periods. He was further elected Vice President of the National House of Chiefs from 1985 to 1988 when the late Otumfuo Opoku Ware II was the President. The late Okwawu Hemaa (Queen-mother) is also a direct descendant of Esono Gyima and Mampong Agyei Stool. She was enstooled in 1928, at the age of 12, but official installation ceremony was performed in 1932. She ruled and occupied the Queen-mother stool for over 73 years. Obviously, she is one of the longest serving queen mothers in Ghana. She died in 2010. THE BUSINESS ACUMEN OF THE KWEHUS According to the Book: “The Development of Kwahu Business Enterprise in Ghana since 1874- An Essay in Recent Oral Tradition” Published by: Cambridge University Press https://www.jstor.org/stable/179831 The Kwehus are well known for their business activities. An enquiry into the reasons for their predominance among the largest shopkeepers by turnover in Accra traced the history of Kwahu business activities back to the British-Ashanti War of 1874, when the Kwahu broke away from the Ashanti Confederacy. The Kwahu trade with the north in slaves was replaced by the rubber trade, which continued until 1914. Rubber was carried to the coast for sale, and fish, salt, and imported commodities, notably cloth, were sold on the return journey north. Other Kwahu activities at this time included trading in local products and African beads. The development of cocoa in south-eastern Ghana provided opportunities for enterprising Kwahu traders to sell there the imported goods obtained at the coast. Previously itinerant traders, the Kwahu began to settle for short periods in market towns. In the 1920s, the construction of the railway from Accra to Kumasi, growing road transportation, and the establishment inland of branches of the European firms reduced the price differences which had made trading inland so profitable. In the 1930s the spread of the cocoa disease, swollen shoot, in the hitherto prosperous south-east, finally turned Kwahu traders’ attention to Accra. Trading remained the most prestigious of Kwahu activities, and young men sought by whatever means they could to save the necessary capital to establish a shop. But Kwahu traders very rarely developed beyond one-man businesses. Profits were siphoned off into buildings and farms which would provide security for times of sickness and old age. (In this respect the Kwahu are typical of Ghanaian entrepreneurs, with some exceptions.) There is little evidence that this enterprising group of people can provide the new entrepreneurial organization or capital required by a developing country. THE END Special contributing narrative by: Fred Obrempong Ansong-Dwamena Sources : http://African-research.com and https://www.easternchiefs.org/kwahu/