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The Story of Adanse Akrokeri (Part I)
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The Story of Adanse Akrokeri (Part I)
KNOW THE ORIGIN OF TOWNS
By: Kwame Ampene
(Founder of the Guan Historical Society)
Adanse is well known in Akan Cosmogony as the place God (Odomankoma) traditionally started creation of the world, hence the expression: ‘Odomankoma created Adanse after the world’.
The five principal Akan states in Adanse (i.e Akan,-man Piesie Num) in order of seniority were as follows:
1. Adanse Akrokyere (Asakyiri clan),
2. Akyem Abuakwa (Asona clan),
3. Assin Fante-Nyankumase (Asene clan),
4. Denkyira (Agona clan) and
5. Asante (Oyoko clan).
Tradition claims that the early settlers in Adanse were the ancestors of Akrokerri, more properly known as AKYEREKYERE-named after the Akyerekyere stream which takes its source from Bonabuom and flows near the teacher training college at the skirts of the present–town.
Legend has it that the Asakyir clan ancestors originally lived at a place ‘’a long way north’’, most probably in the region south of the Niger Bend. In those days the Mohammedans made persistent attempt to convert their ancestors into Islamic religion. And as they resisted the Muslims embarked upon unprecedented persecautions and rampant torture, where upon their ancestors became desperate and immediately vacated the region in search of peaceful abode.
Consequently, they emigrated south westwards and took refuge in the vicinity of the Kong Mountains, north-eastern part of Cote d’ lvoire where they established KANKYEABO. They built their huts with stones, hence the new settlement derived its name from the practice of erecting hut with stones.
Later, they were joined by other related groups – the Akwamu and Nzema who settled on the Comoe (Kumbu) and N’Zi Rivers which gave them the name Akwamu and Nze-mba (Nzema).respectively.
Traditions relate that the incoming Wangara trading groups became boisterous and later warriors which gradually resulted in the conquest of the Kumbu and Kankyeabo States. The rapid operation compelled the Asakyir clan ancestors to escape unnoticed and arrived in the portion of the dense forest under the leadership of Ofori Okae Boade and his sister Gyahema.
Their first place of settlement was (OBONYAMESO or BONATIFI) about 3km north of AKROKERI. Here they assumed the name ASAKYIRI for the first time- originally they were ASONA, until a kindred group came to settle at Adanse Adeboye. In those days it was considered a taboo for individual clan members to marry themselves, because they were brothers and sisters, so it was considered incestuous. The group of settlers, therefore, adopted a new name, ASAKYIRI.
While at Obonyameso there was an influx of immigrant who sought permission from Ofori Okae Boade to settle on the land. They were the ancestors of Bretuo clan who originally lived at Hwerebe Kwasaase and now Ayaase; the Asona family under the Bone and Akwaa came to settle came to settle at Kokobiante and Sebenaso in the same neighbourhood; soon the area became densely populated.
The myth is that Ofori Okae Boadi was presented with mystical sword known as AFENA KWAO by a strange monster (Sansabosam) for self-defence which became the Insignia of Authority. It was called Oko-gye-abo, that is the warrior sword that controls the direction of enemies’ bullets.
After a glorious long reign, the founding hero, Nana Ofori Okae Boade, died and was secretly buried at a place described as ‘Boade-da-so’ or BONASO, i.e. the sleeping place of Boade which later became the royal mausoleum.
List of kings:
2. NANA ASARE ADEKYEE: The eldest son of Ofori Okae Boadi who continued to rule at Bonatifi. He dispatched about 200 men to the coast to procure cloth and domestic wares from the white merchants.
3. NANA ABU NYANSA: Being a great teacher and a wise councillor he introduced great constitutional reforms; other groups began to imitate him, so the word ‘abu-sua’ came to mean’ limiting Abu’ the honorary title ‘Nyansa’(wisdom) was added to his name, hence ABU NYANSA. After many years at Bonafiti he moved with his people to another place and founded FOMASE, situated between Bekwai and Pekyi. Here they built swish houses, which earned them the name ‘Adan-si-fo’ corrupted into ADANSE.
*Source: The Spectator,Page: 31, Saturday, October 27, 2012
No commentsPrez Mahama: Ghanaians Are Now “Pocket Lawyers” And “Armchair Judges”
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Prez Mahama: Ghanaians Are Now “Pocket Lawyers” And “Armchair Judges”
{sidebar id=10 align=right}His Excellency John Dramani Mahama believes the just ended Election Petition hearing which was beamed live across the nation has turn a section of the populace into “pocket lawyers” and “arm-chair judges” with legal terms being clichés in recent times.
Expressing joy at the decision by the Supreme Court to “validly” confirm his Presidency, John Mahama lauded the apex court of the land for demonstrating professionalism in the adjudication of the petition filed by the 2012 Presidential Candidate of the NPP, Nana Akufo-Addo; His Running-mate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and National Chairman, Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey.
“It is with the utmost respect and highest regard that I commend the Supreme Court of Ghana, on my own behalf and on behalf of all Ghanaians, for the dedication, integrity and professionalism with which they adjudicated this case,” he said.
He continued by saying; “We have all been captivated by the proceedings, and it is with awe that we have watched the advancement of the jurisprudence of the Supreme Court of Ghana. We (Ghanaians) have also, in the process, managed to turn ourselves into a nation of pocket lawyers and armchair judges, and, in typical Ghanaian fashion, let the language of law enter our daily vocabulary.
“…It is not uncommon now to hear teachers, professors, and senior citizens referred to as “My Lord, My Lord;” for taxi drivers, contractors and seamstresses to discuss “pink sheets”; for farmers, doctors, and market women to make mention of “further and better particulars.”
“…Even children are now familiar with the term ‘amicus curiae’” President Mahama said on GTV when addressing the nation after the Supreme Court declared him “validly” elected winner of the 2012 presidential polls.
Source: King Edward Ambrose/Peacefmonline.com
The Story of Buem
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- Created on Friday, 23 August 2013 00:00
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The Story Of BUEM
By Kwame Ampene
{sidebar id=11 align=right}(Founder of the Guan Historical Society)
JASIKAN is the Administrative capital of the Buem Traditional Area in mid-Volta Region, physically an integral part of the Togo-Atakora system, but historically a part of the former German Colony of “Schutzgebiet Togo”, 1899 – 1918, when Buem became part of Togoland under United Kingdom Trusteeship till Plebiscite was held in May 1956 to determine its unification with an independent Gold Coast.
Linguistically, the word BUEM is identified with people belonging to the indigenes locally known as the Lefana-speaking group of Borada, Guaman, Kadjakrom, Jasikan, and the Lelemi-speaking people of Bagio and Teteman. There is no doubt that the Lefana and the Lelemi are cognate races.
Beginning with the history of the Buem traditions, the inhabitants disclosed that there are three versions of the origin of the word BUEM.
One version relates that the name was originally BUEFO, initiated by the Worawora people in consequence of their yielding when aimed at with a gun, and they would plead saying: “Boe, Boe!” which means “softly, softly”. At this time, the Worawora immigrants could not understand the language of the early inhabitants; so they gave them the name BUEFO.
Another version is given that the root of the word came from ‘Bue’, an expression in the language of the people which also means ‘slowly’, farewell’, or ‘sound sleep’, depending on the context it is used. Thus, “Meyina Bueme”, lit. “I am going to the land of the Bue”. – The familiar saying among the Ewe travelers.
The last of the theories for the origin of this name says that at the start of a fight between the Buem and Kwawu Dokuman, then resident at Jinjiso, the Dokumanhene is said to have remarked in Twi: “Mibue moi ani a, mo ani nte” meaning: “you cannot be civilized after indoctrination”, hence ‘Mibue’ became corrupted into BUEM.
Be that as it may, this seems to be a good example of ‘folk etymology’ i.e. a commonly accepted tale invented to provide a pedigree for a word whose real origin is unknown.
The Buem tradition further disclosed that the Djolu were the early inhabitants of the district and that their oldest settlement was Kubuja close to the Togo border. This settlement flourished up to 1800 when it was ransacked by the Akposp. The most powerful Djolu chief, Nifu, ruled for fifty years. He had three handsome children, namely: Amoah, Adzo and Ayah. On his death, Amoah succeeded as chief of Kubuja and its surrounding villages.
Since women at Kubuja had to walk long distance to fetch water, Edze settled near the Adze (Dayi) Stream which later became known as Edze-ulu, ie, ‘on the way to Edze’ which gradually became corrupted into DJOLU.
Ayah also built a settlement close to Edze-ulu, to it was given the name ‘Ayaoma’ or AYOMA, ie. ‘Ayah’s estate’.
Later, certain individuals abandoned the three towns and founded new settlements at Chichia on the Opera Hills. One of these new villages was KUDJE which got its name from the fat that it was a suitable place for growing local ground for making calabash – Okedge.
In the 19th Century, considerable dispersion look place at Kudge because of constant attack by bands of warriors from Kwawu Dukoman living at Ojinji Stream, tributary of River Asukawkaw. Settlements they created were Akaa, Atonkor, Borae, Abanja, Ominasa, Asapah and Juakoman, but only the first three survived by 1884, the rest having been destroyed in the Asante invasion, 1869 – 1871.
By mutual consent the town of Borada, situated at the centre, and convenient to all the village folks was chosen as the meeting place. Therefore, the principal convener of such tribal meeting held at Borada became the accepted Head of the gathering and gradually developed his position to the status of a Paramount Chief of the Buem State while the Djolu Headchief accepted the rank of Akwamuhene of the traditional area.
Formerly, the people of Borada, Jasikan and Okajakrom were living at Danda near the Kowisabe hills near Bowiri Amanforo. However, in 1820, an old man of Jasikan deserted Danda and settled on the bank of Odome Stream. This settlement flourished and was later renamed JASIKAN, because during the Asante invasion of 1869 – 1871, the Asante warlord lost a sword there. Therefore, JASIKAN is derived from the expression ‘Gya sekan’ – “leave a sword there”.
Nana Nyanya also left Danda, and his new settlement JASAKAN AKURA (Jasikan-village) on the land originally the domain of Kudje. In 1927, however, the name was changed to OKADJAKROM by the then chief Adje II, a pensioner of the Railway Department, because the name Jasikan-Akura showed lack of respect for the people.
Although the Lefana and the Lelemi are highly bilingual speaking either Ewe or Twi in addition to their own language, their oral tradition shows clearly that the substratum of the population belong to the Guan ethnic group. Their linguistic characteristics tend to support this assertion.
Finally, on 3rd November, 1991, I visited Borada for the third time in my capacity as the organizing Secretary of the Guan Congress. (Association of Guan-Speaking Peoples of Ghana), this time I was sent to invite the Paramount Chief of Buem, to attend the 4th Guan Congress scheduled to take place at Winneba on 6-8 December, 1991. While traveling across the District I became more and more fascinated by the origin and meaning of the names of their settlements as indicated in this paper.
(See), for example ‘A Note on the Peopling of the Forest Hills of the Volta Region of Ghana’ in Ghana Notes and Queries, June, 1970. Also by the same author “An Historical Geography of the Ho-Kpandu-Buem Area of the Volta Region of Ghana 1884 – 1956”.
Unpublished MS. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Public Records And Archives Administration Department, Notes on Togoland People, ADM 11/1/603/case No. 58/1915 ALSO Togoland under United Kingdom Trusteeship For the Year 1948” – His Majesty’s Stationary Office, London, 1949).
By Kwame Ampene
Source: The Spectator
Petitioners Hammer EC Over ‘Tampered’ Pink Sheets
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Petitioners Hammer EC Over ‘Tampered’ Pink Sheets
he petitioners in the ongoing Presidential Election Petition have accused the Electoral Commission (EC) of ‘tampering’ pink sheets in order to justify their declaration of National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, John Dramani Mahama as President.
According to the three petitioners, apart from the duplication of serial numbers on the pink sheets as EC Chairman Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan admitted during cross-examination, they (petitioners) were able to prove that ‘triplicate’ and ‘quadruplicate’ serial numbers were also used alongside the duplicates during the December 2012 general election.
{sidebar id=11 align=right}They added that in trying to show to the Supreme Court hearing the petition that the pink sheets were only in ‘duplicates’ (which the petitioners say should not have been) and not in ‘triplicate’ or ‘quadruplicate’, the EC brought 17 pink sheets but most of them had been tampered with.
The three, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo presidential candidate of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the December 2012 election, his running mate Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and the party’s Chairman Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey are in court seeking a declaration that John Dramani Mahama was not validly elected as President of Ghana.
They also added that “Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the 1st petitioner herein, rather was validly elected President of the Republic of Ghana.”
They are alleging that during the December 7 & 8 presidential election, there were widespread instances of over-voting, voting without biometric verification, unsigned pink sheets by EC’s Presiding Officers as well as duplicate serial numbers and the petitioners called them violation, malpractices, omissions and irregularities.
According to the petitioners in their concluding address, “when account is taken of the fact that the great majority of the infractions that ground this petition can be found on pink sheets bearing duplicate serial numbers, there can be no doubt that the use of such pink sheets severely compromised the integrity of the 2012 presidential election and subverted the realization of the democratic will of the people of Ghana.”
They said that per the evidence adduced, “the number of polling stations where this malpractice occurred on its own is 5,591. When account is taken of the polling stations that registered other infractions together with use of duplicate serial numbers, the total number of polling stations affected by this malpractice is 8,987. The total number of votes affected by the malpractice is 3, 508, 491.”
The petitioners said that the respondents were given ‘a rude awakening from their disdain’ for the malpractice of duplicate serial numbers when, on July 11, 2013, counsel for petitioners confronted Dr Afari-Gyan, with the list of 17 pink sheets that bore ‘triplicate’ or ‘quadruplicate’ serial numbers together with their pink sheets.
According to the petitioners, Dr Afari-Gyan had admitted that “three sets each bore triplicate serial numbers while two sets each bore quadruplicate serial numbers,” adding “The witness admitted that three sets of three pink sheets each had the same serial numbers, while two sets of four pink sheets bore the same serial number.”
Q: Dr Afari-Gyan, you have told this court that you printed 2 sets of pink sheets. I see that was not enough. How do you explain triplicates and quadruplicate serial numbers that we have just seen in Exhibit “X”.
A: My lords, logically there should be no triplicates and quadruplicates that is why….
Q: I cannot hear you.
A: My lords, I cannot understand how there could be triplicates and quadruplicates, I cannot understand that and that is why we have to check.
The petitioner said the critical importance of serial numbers as a security feature which prevented electoral fraud, the swapping of one pink sheet for another and the manipulation of results on pink sheets became manifest as their lead counsel Philip Addison cross-examined the EC Chairman.
“In a rather despairing attempt to minimize and deflect the obvious damage that the grave malpractice of pink sheets with triplicate or quadruplicate serial numbers had done to the case of respondents on duplicate serial numbers, Dr Afari-Gyan, in re-examination on July 16, tendered as Exhibit EC11, a table, together with Exhibits EC 11 A to 11E3, the purported original copies of the pink sheets listed in Exhibit X. This only confounded matters for the 2nd respondent.”
They said a critical scrutiny and comparison of the pink sheets set out in their exhibit as compared to the EC’s “revealed substantial differences between the pink sheets filed by petitioners and listed as Exhibit X, and the purported originals belatedly tendered in evidence by Dr Afari-Gyan on the penultimate day of trial.”
“It is the respectful submission of petitioners that the pink sheets listed in Exhibit X were duplicates of the original copies and were given to the agents of 1st petitioner at the close of poll and the declaration of the results at the polling station on and 8th December 7 2012.”
They held that, “being duplicates of the original, it meant every hand written entry or mark found on the duplicates must equally be on the original copies. Similarly, the originals cannot have entries on them which will not be found on their corresponding duplicates. Indeed, that was the whole purpose of having the pink sheets printed in duplicates, to prevent manipulation of the ballot accounting entries and the results themselves after the close of polls and the declaration of results.”
“When petitioners, however, compared the pink sheet exhibits listed on Exhibit “X” with as the purported originals of 2nd respondent tendered as Exhibits EC 11, 11 A1 to 11 D4 series it became manifest that there had been tampering with the alleged originals of the 2nd respondent and that, in some cases, there had been complete swaps of the pink sheets in question.
“It ought to be underlined that the reason why 2nd respondent virtually got forced to tender in evidence pink sheets for the first time since this petition commenced was because it wished to discredit the damning evidence of triplicate and quadruplicate serial numbers which Exhibit X exposed.
“The petitioners said for instance, that the three pink sheets marked Exhibit MBP – 3246, CHIEF BELLO INT. SCHOOL, with Code C141004A, Exhibit MBP3238, APOSTOLIC REVELATION SOCIETY, with Code C141102A, MBQ 171, BAPTIST INT. CHURCH-ADIGON, with Code C140602 all bore the same pre-embossed serial number, namely 0025195. On the other hand, two of the purported corresponding original pink sheets tendered in evidence by 2nd respondent as Exhibit EC 11A, CHIEF BELLO INT. SCHOOL, with Code C141004A and Exhibit EC 11 BAPTIST INT. CHURCH-ADIGON, with Code C1409602, both bore the same serial number as the three duplicates, namely 0025195.
“The third, however, Exhibit EC 11 A1, APOSTOLIC REVELATION SOCIETY, with Code C141102A had a completely different serial number, namely 0026746. Furthermore, it is apparent from the entries on the two exhibits that the handwritings are quite different and that the specific entries are not the same,” they drew the court’s attention.
“There are cancellations on the so-called original which cannot be found on the duplicate, a logical and empirical impossibility. On the other hand, a comparison of the two sets of pink sheets bearing the same serial numbers shows that all the entries in each duplicate can be found in the original and, further, that the hand writing is the same for each pair. Quite clearly, Exhibit EC 11 A1 is a recently fabricated document, generated in an attempt to rebut the evidence of triplicate serial numbers.”
The petitioners went ahead to cite other polling stations where triplicate and quadruplicate serial numbers were used but the originals had been tampered with.
“This malpractice grave enough as it was, was further compounded by evidence establishing the existence of pink sheets with triplicate and quadruplicate serial numbers that were used for the December 2012 presidential election.
“Accordingly, the Court is respectfully urged to find that, in addition to the duplicate serials numbers, 2nd respondent used pink sheets with triplicate and quadruplicate serial numbers for the conduct of the December 2012 presidential election.”
By William Yaw Owusu
Source: Daily Guide/Ghana
The NPP Marks 21st Anniversary
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The NPP Marks 21st Anniversary
{sidebar id=10 align=right}The New Patriotic Party (NPP)- the main Opposition Party in Ghana, which traces its roots to the UGCC of 1947, is 21 years today in contemporary politics of Ghana.
Find attached below a political speech delivered by Professor Mike Ocqauaye- the former Ghana Ambassador to India, under the Kufuor-led NPP administration, on behalf of the party.
Professor Mike Ocquaye; was until 07 January 2013, the NPP Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana.
Professor Mike Ocquaye, voluntarily, vacated his parliamentary seat, and was internally contested for between his son- Mike Ocqauye Jnr and and Adwoa Sarfo, both legal practitioners.
Adwoa Sarfo won the primaries and and went on to retain the seat for the NPP.
We mention in passing that the current Dome-Kwabeny MP- Adwoa Sarfo, might be remebered for her critical oversight role in the recounting of ballots in her constituency, which probably motivated the NPP leadership in challenging the outcome of the presidential election result of 09 December 2012 which went in favour of incumbent president- John Dramani Mahama.
The Verdict of that electoral petition of 28 December 2012; which travelled for some 48 weeks, is due to be decided on 29th August 2013, by the 9-member Supreme Court Judges, who sat on the case throughout the hearing.
The NPP Anniversary, attracted all-shades of the political-divide, including the Chairmen and the General-Secreataries of the leading ideological leanings in the country.
Whereas the general worries and anticipation of the Ghanaian appear to be peace and power-sharing government, the focus of the NPP's keynote address, had centred on History & Tradition.
It remains unclear to JusticeGhana, as to how the said Power-sharing Government or should we say the Union Government Concept, which General I.K. Acheampong of the SMC, propagated in the 1970s but was scorned and rejected, is going to be achieved in this abrasive ideological landscape.
But suffice to add that, the stone that the builders rejected, appears to becoming the head-corner-stone, of an overbearing structure struggling under an unmeasured concrete-roofing of the kind.
...You might have thought that: After All, Acheampong was overly, Not far from the Truth?
READ The NPP: History and Tradition