After migrating from Adanse, later to Asuom, the ancesters of Juaso settled at the banks of the Dwabo river.
Most Akan settlements were built on banks of rivers.
This was because, they migrated by foot for months from place to place due to wars and unfavourable environmental conditions and will sometimes find it difficult to get water so they usually settle when they discover any river which becomes their savior (no wonder most of the rivers in Ghana are gods).
As the saying goes, “water is life” hence, the wisdom in this practice was to enable them get enough water to drink, cook, bath and attend to all their basic needs.
That was how the name Dwaboso which means “Close to the Dwabo River” was derived.
Later the name was corrupted from “Dwaboso” into “Dwaso” (Juaso).
The Juaso (pronounced Dwaaso) ruling class and aboriginal inhabitants were members of Asante matrilineal clan called Oyoko, members of which includes Kwaaman (Kumase), Dwaben (Juaben), Kokofu, Bekwai, Nsuta and others.
Oral tradition has it that, when Osei Tutu was escorted from Akwamu (accompanied by some 300 Akwamu warriors) to Kwaman (Kumase), he traveled by foot together with his entourage of warriors yet he didn’t stop along the way even for water to drink!
They continued the journey until they reached the Dwabo (Juaso) river.
There Osei Tutu finally decided to drink some water from this river.
So he sat on a little rock by the riverside to drink water and relax a bit.
Soon after he finished drinking the water, an amazing thing happened.
The area around the rock suddenly formed a deep pit full of water.
Then a huge crocodile emerged from the strange pit.
A native of Dwaboso (Juaso) called Akora Diewuo witnessed that wonderful scene.
Also amazed by the scene, Akora Diewuo enquired from them what it was all about.
Osei Tutu and Okomfo Anokye explained vividly how it all happened to him.
Osei Tutu and Okomfo Anokye took Akora Diewuo along to Kwaman as an eye witness to the incident when they got to the palace.
This is why we have a stool call Denkyemenaso stool in Juaso.
Between 1732 and 1742, under Juasohene Nana Amo Antwi Bosiako, Nana Opoku Ware I waged war against the Akyems and he needed the support of the whole Asanteman.
This was for Two reasons:
1. To avenge the assassination of Osei Tutu on the Pra River
2. To bring the Akyem’s resistance to uselessness under Asante’s hegemony.
Nana Amo Antwi Bosiako was tasked to join the force against the Akyems but it was difficult for him to do so because mpanimfoɔ se, “mogya mu yɛ du sen nsuo” which means blood is thicker than water.
The Akyem Kotokuhene, Nana Frempong Manso I was his father.
This was the most turbulent period in the history of Juaso.
The Asantes fought the Akyems (Kotoku and Abuakwa) and defeated them.
Juasohene sensing danger, before the arrival of Opoku Ware, told his royals to disperse to other towns and villages in other parts of Asante before disaster befalls them.
Many migrated to distant places such as Kumase, Kokofu, Kuntenase, Nsuta and Akyem Juaso (near Osino).
After the war, an unforgiving and highly punitive Kumawuhene Okyere Baafuo unilaterally attacked and killed Juasohene Nana Amo Antwi Bosiako for his insubordination against the Asante Kingdom.
He did that on his own accord without consulting anybody.
The Asante Council met to decide Kumawuhene’s crime.
He was exonerated and Asantehene Opoku Ware I reportedly made the statement, “Amo Antwi Bosiako has invited death by not going to war and challenging Kumawuhene”.
Nana Kumawuhene Okyere Baafuo pacified Asantehene over the killing of Juasohene because Juasohene is viewed as a relation of Asantehene (Ayokofuɔ).
Hence the saying, “Ɛnyɛ obi na okum Antwi, na Boasiako no ara na ede ne ti agye akyerema”.
“It means Antwi is the cause of his own death not anybody”
Nana Ofobire Tiwaa, the queen mother of Juaso migrated to Kumase and got married to Nana Bantamahene Amankwaatia and they gave birth to Obiyaa Kusi, Ataa Boansi, Kwaku Ayisi, and Apenten.
According to oral tradition, after consulting the oracle, Nana Opoku Ware had a dream that Juaso should be rebuilt.
He asked Nana Ofobire Tiwaa who lived in Bantama to return to Juaso and rebuild the town.
Since the succession was and still in the female line, it was essential for a woman of royal blood to give birth to the town (Juaso).
This is why it is said that, “A king may rule a town, but the queen mother owns it”
At that time, Nana Ofobire Tiwaa was too old to undertake that long journey.
Instead, she persuaded her children to return and rebuild Juaso.
She however, travelled the short distance to Nsuta Kwaem to settle down with some of her people until her death.
The children obeyed their mother and went back to Juaso because mpanimfo se, “Sɛ ɔdehyeɛ anko a, akoa dwane”.
It means “if royals refuse to fight, the slaves who serve them will run away.”
Led by their eldest sister Obiyaa kusi, they arrived in Juaso amid jubilation.
The Oyoko royal family is back! Hurray! Obiyaa Kusi was enstooled as a queen mother and his brother Kwaku Ayisi became Juasohene.
During his installation, he swore to his people that he would take up the great task of unifying and bringing together the Oyoko royal families that were scattered across various towns.
True to his word, he brought most of the Oyoko families back to Juaso and it was a result of this that we got the saying, “Sɛ wo Yokoɔ yera a, kɔ Juaso”.
It is said that Nana Obiyaa Kusi and her sister Atta Boansi formed the foundation of Juaso Oyoko royal family as it is today.
And Apenten their junior brother inherited the stool after Kwaku Ayisi.
Again, Juaso Stool is said to be Kwaku Ayisi and Apenten Stool.
Nanahemaa Obiyaa Kusi gave birth to Tamea.
The name Tamea is a name given to a female child conceived and delivered by the help of the Tano god.
Indeed, there was jubilation when Obiyaa Kusi gave birth to a female, because the Akan people being matrilineal, women are the dominant force.
We believe that blood is transferred exclusively through the female (mother) line.
Tamea also gave birth to three children namely Awo, Ago, and Denkyira Mansah.
It is these three great ancestors that broadened the parameters of the Juaso Oyoko royal family.
History has it that, Ataa Boansi left Juaso to Kuntenase as a result of marital problems.
She took along with her a large number of attendees and Tano, the family god.
Later, she travelled to Asaman on a visit when she heard some male relatives were there tapping palm wine.
At Asaman, the Asamanhene Nana Akokora Gyima Panin invited her to stay in the palace.
He ended up putting her in the family way.
Her dowry was paid to santehene [Asantehene or Santehene] in the presence of Kokofuhene Nana Asibey Panin and she became the wife of samanghene.
She and her husband had only one daughter called Adoma.
Adoma also gave birth to Adwoa Ku, Ama Sen and Kwankyewaa.
In the early days, their forefathers settled at Dwabo (Dada mu) between Kokowado and Morso.
At the time of Nana kwabena Agyei, the governor of Gold Coast constructed the Eastern divisional railway from Accra to Kumase in 1903.
After the construction, they migrated from Dwabo (Dada mu) to where Juaso currently is with the aim of coming closer to the railway to aid in their trade.
“Konti ne Akwamu, Adonten, Gyaase, Kyidom, Adehyeman mma, mese mo aburu. Mpanin se, sɛ wo yokoɔ yera a, kɔ Juaso”
The Etymology of Names of Some Communities in Asanteman.
1. Kumase – (kum-ase) – under the kum tree
2. Mampon – (man-pɔn) – big community/state
3. Bekwae – (abe-kwae) – palm forest
4. Suame – (Soa-me) – palanquin carriers
5. Bantama – (baa-ntoma) – cloth of Opanyin Baa
6. Appiadu – (Appia-aduru) – Appia has reached the destination.
7. Goaso – (Ogoo-so) – bank of river Ogoo.
8. Nsuta – (Asuo-nta) – twin rivers
9. Kwamo – (Kwao-ɛmoo) – Kwao’s rice farm
10. Oforikrom – (Ofori-krom) – Fori was a very wealthy man who bought the land for his family.
11. Nhyiaeso – (Nhyea-ɛso) – Meeting place of the Asantes and British for negotiations.
12. Bohyen – (boɔ hyɛn) – shining stone
13. Buokrom – (ɛbɔn krom) – land of caves
14. Aputuogya – (butu – agya) – banks of the stream called butu.
15. Breman – (brɛ-man) – rest stop for the Asantehene
16. Aduaben (Adu-w’aben) – Adu, you are powerful (principal town of Asanteman Adontenhene)
17. Bompata – (bɔ mpata) – erect huts
18. Kodie (kɔ wo deɛ) – go and find your own settlement
19. Krofrom (kro-fofro-mu) – new township
20. Asenua (ase- nnua) – home of the wood carvers
21. Banda – (ɔmo anda) – the Nafana people refused to sleep all night.
22. Manso (ɔman n’aso) – the ear of Asante. They spied on enemies and give information.
23. Kwadaso – (kora-daso) – a calabash is on top
24. Bechem – (bɛ kye mu) – let us share it here
25. Ntotroso – (ntotro-so) – on the banks of river Ntotro, a tributary to River Tano.
26. Kukuom – (ku-kuomu) – store game in a cache pot.
27. Mehame – (mmba bɛ hame) – do not come to disturb me.
28. Wenchi – (Wankyeɛ) – the land of aardvark (a type of pig)
29. Gyapekrom (Gyape-krom) – land founded by Gyape.
30. Nkoranza – (nkɔkra- mmiɛnsa) – land of three old men.
