Our History

Akan people migrated from the north or Sahel in successive waves in the 11th century and made a spot at different locations before settling in Ghana. The origin of Akan is from Bono, historical records corroborate.
Some constituents of Akan include Bono, Akwamu, Fante, Akyem, Asante, Nzema, Sefwi, Bauole, Akuapem, Anyi, Wassa, Denkyira etc. Akan is a large family, ethnic group and an umbrella for the aforementioned members.

Bono
Bono people are one of the main constituents of Akan. Bono is among one of the largest Akan ethnic group, presently inhabiting Bono region, Bono East region and Ahafo region in Ghana. Bono can also be located in eastern Ivory Coast as they are referred to as Brong or Abron. Bono territory is geographically situated between the savanna and the forest zone of Ghana which makes it prime central location for trade.

Generally, Bono are known to be the cradle and civilisation of Akan. Bono people are Twi speaking people. Historically, the name “Twi” was named after one of the Bono (Techiman) kings called Nana Baffuor Twi. The word Bono is coined from "Abonowoɔ", Bono means "Pioneer or first born/created on the land".

History has it that, Bono people migrated from the North to Sahel (Ghana Empire), the empire was eventually usurped by the Almoravids, and the zeal to impose Islam practice on the Bono people by the same Almoravids. As the beliefs and spirituality of the Bono differs to that of Islam, the Bono could no longer bear to practice the new religion of Islam. This tempted Bono to flee in order to maintain the traditional form of worship. The movement was from a pillar to post until a favourable spot was made at the southern part of the Black Volta River, at the Amowi cave and several other areas. Bono people settled strategically at these areas. The leader of the Bono people, Nana Asaman established Yefiri (at present day Nkoranza) some miles north, to the west, Bono Manso was established. It was made the capital of the medieval Bono Kingdom. The establishment of the Bono Kingdom can be dated back to 1295 AD, according to Eva Meyerowitz. Other early historic settlement was Ahwene Koko, the capital of old Wankyi. Another was Begho or as known as Nsawkaw in Bono Twi. Some of these settlements had 77 streets and some others 177 streets. Some also settled in familiar groups of matrilineal clans (abusua) of seven. The Bono kingdom situated on the northern boundary/forest savanna transition of the Akan world and was an important political, economic, and religious settlement. It grew into a large multi-ethnic merchant center which developed during the periods of transcontinental sub-Saharan trade. Bono Manso and its satellite villages were positioned along trade routes that was initially linked to the inland Niger Delta cities of Djenne, Timbuktu and Gao. Muslim Dyula/Mande/Wangara merchants from the Malian Empire and Soninke traders traveled to Bono Manso with textiles, salt, and brass which they exchanged for gold, kola, and slaves. As seen, the Bono participated in long-exchange networks in between 1200s and 1600s with Sudanic merchants over much of West Africa. The Bono kingdom collapsed in 1723 as its capital Bono Manso suffered defeat in the hands of Ashanti through treachery. Following the 1723 war, the Bono intelligentsia–goldsmith, craftsman, weavers, carvers, musicians etc were taken to Kumase to teach the Ashantis, Asantehene and his court, the civilized ways of life. Techiman succeeded Bono Manso where the various Akan subgroups originated from. Today, Techiman is credited as the legendary birthplace of all Akan people.

Sefwi
Sefwi is made up of three mutually independent paramountcies of Anhwiaso, Bekwai and Wiawso respectively in the Western north region. It is bounded on the north by Bono, Ahafo, Asante, on the east by Denkyira and Wassa-Amanfi, on the south by Aowin and on the west by the Anyi-Baoule of the Ivory Coast.

Before the foundation of Sefwi or migration of Sefwi, the modern Sefwi territory was formerly controlled by the Aowin rulers.
According to oral tradition, majority of Sefwi claim Bono origin. Sefwi is derived from the Twi phrase "Asa awie" meaning "war is over".

Among the three paramountcies, Sefwi Anhwiaso state was the first to be established by migrants from Wenchi. It is Interesting to note that the Asona of Kesekrom and Ahibenso in the Wiawso area who claim to have come from Anhwiaso Wenchi, emphatically assert that their original home was in Wenchi in the Bono Region. In 1713 when Asantes surprisedly attack Wenchi, the Wenchi capital Ahwene Koko was depopulated and scattered, majority of the people fled in groups.

The traditions of Sefwi Bekwai asserts that they emigrated from Adanse as a result of family dispute, where they belonged to the royal family at Fomena. It is believed the Bekwai were later granted land near the Sobore river by chief of Agona in Wassa Amanfi, then a vassal of the powerful Aowin King. Sometime in the 18th century strained relationship between Bekwai and Wiawso, who had lately arrived in the area, led to a war in which Bekwai was forced to take refuge in Asante. They were however, later granted land by the Anhwiaso stool.

The most important group is the Asankera which occupies the paramount stool of Wiawso. Oral traditions trace their origins to Techiman in the Bono East. It is believed that one Kwakye Dapaa led them to Wassa Efiena and Bremang before their last northwards migration into present-day Sefwi that was then under Aowin influence.

All the three states share a common culture with respect to language, common deity called Sobore, common yam festival called Alluolie, and Alie by the members of Asona abusua, which is closely related to the Apoo festival of Wenchi and Techiman.

Denkyira
History has it that Denkyira migrated from Bono precisely in Nkyeraa at the present day Bono region. Denkyira stayed at Bono Nkyeraa for over centuries and was founded arounded 1500 under a woman leadership called Ayekra Adeboe. Before the name Denkyira, they referred to themselves as Adawufo. Oral tradition has it that the Adawufo lived in Nkyeraa and learned the ways and traditions of Nkyeraa so deliberately that they were referred to as the 'dan Nkyeraa' people (meaning those who 'depend/rely on Nkyiraa'). This is how the present name 'Denkyira' was derived.

History records Denkyira after migrating to the south, came under Adanse overlordship and gained independence during the tenure of Adanse’s Ewurade Basa. The Adanse, like Asante then had to pay tribute to Denkyira. Denkyira became very powerful in the central forest and conquered all the surrounding people. However Denkyira under Ntim Gyakari was overthrown by Asante at the beginning of eighteen century. Today, Denkyira is located in the central region of Ghana.

Fante
The Fante are primarily located in Central region of Ghana and even beyond the borders of Ghana. They are one of the peace loving and cultured people. The Fante people, according to oral traditions, separated from the Bono people, around 1250 AD. This act became the origin of their name, "Fa-atsew" meaning "the half that left" (in modern times, Fantse/Fante). The Fante people left their Bono brethren at Krako, present day Techiman in the Bono East Region of Ghana, and became their own distinct Akan group.

The Fante migrated from Bono, at present day Techiman in the Bono East Region of Ghana to the Central Region. The Fante people were led by three warriors: Obrumankoma, Odapagyan, and Oson (the whale, eagle, and elephant respectively). Obrumankoma and Odapagyan died along the way and were embalmed and transported to their final destination in Mankessim. At preliminary settlement, they encountered people with bushy hair called “Etsi-fue-yifo” and a battle ensued and they were conquered. The place was renamed “Oman kesemu” meaning big town, now Mankessim. The Fante chief fetish priest, Komfo Amona planted the limb of a tree he had brought from the Akan(Bono) homeland in Krako to see if the place was good for settlement. The day after the priest planted the limb, the people found the tree starting to grow. The tree was named Ebisa-dua, or the consulting tree, and its location is today one of the most important shrines in Mankessim.

Wasa
The Wasa are one of the subgroups of Akan and primarily located in the Western region of Ghana. The Wasa people are surrounded ethnically by Nzema and Ahanta to the south, Aowin and Sefwi to the west and north, Denkyira and Fante to the east.

The Wasa like any other Akan migrated from Bono. “The Wassa people, who later founded the Wassa-Fiase state. They appear to have been among those who founded the town of Bono- Takyiman when Bono- Mansu were overcrowded with refugees after the destruction of the kania kingdom by Djakpa”- Eva Meyerowitz.

The foundation of Wassa is split into two kingdoms: Wasa Fiase and Wassa Amanfi. The Wasa kingdom is called the Assa kingdom by Portuguese sources. There was at least 15 orders of expenses incurred by the Portuguese between 1514 and 1524 as gifts to the king of Assas. However, from 1734, Wassa Fiase the kingdom of loyalist forces became vassal of Asante, as well as Wasa Amanfi. After the Asante punitive expedition of 1826 against Wasa, the two kingdoms in this area joined the British protectorate of the Gold Coast and thus became independent.

Asante
The Asante are located in the Ashanti region of Ghana. The Asante migrated from Bono after passing through from the north. The Asante settled in Adanse where they learned to build houses. The name Asante is said to emerge as a result of the people’s activity as they prepared for war. This was at the time of Osei Tutu in the 17th century when the famous traditional priest, Okomfo Anokye purportedly gathered all the Asante chiefs from the various ‘micro states’ and advised them to form a single, larger confederacy against their overlord Denkyira and warring enemies such as the Dormaa. To cement the union, Okomfo Anokye was said to have commanded a golden stool, which he made to rest on the lap of his friend Osei Tutu, who at the time was the chief of Kwaman (old name for Kumasi).
Okomfo Anokye managed to convince the other chiefs to accept the Kwaman chief, Osei Tutu as their king. The golden stool, therefore, is believed to be a symbol of the unity of all the Asante microstates represented by their chiefs. According to an Asante legend, the golden stool contains the soul of the Asante nation and thus, belongs to the Asante nation. Every chief in the union pays allegiance to it. As indicated, the union was formed to fight the Denkyera king, Ntim Gyakari. In other words, it was ‘because of war’ (esa nti) that the union formed. Thus, the people came to be the Esa-nti or Asante—meaning those who formed a union because of war (Osei 2001).

Anyi
Anyi or Aowin people resides in southwestern Ghana and southeastern Cote D’Ivoire. It must be noted however that before the rise of the Denkyira and Asante in the late 17th and early 18th centuries respectively, Aowin had already emerged as a super power in the territories west of the River Bia. Oral history points out that, Aowin were among the first Akan groups to break away from the larger settlement in historical Bonoman. Economically, the Aowin are noted to have built their state based on their economic strength in the Bia and Sefwi areas until the Denkyira evasion in the last two decades of the 1700s. With the arrival of the Europeans, firearms assisted the Awowin in becoming a marginally powerful state in the coastal and inland trades as compared to others states in the same region during the same period.

A raid, led by Ebiri Moro on the capital of the Asante, in this quest, in the early 1700s provoked the Aowin-Asante war of 1715. At its peak, Aowin controlled the modern area the three Sefwi-Anhwiaso, Sefwi-Wiawso, and Sefwi-Bekwai. They had major markets at the modern areas of Enchi, Kwewu, Boinso, Akontombra, Nkwanta and Jema.

Akwamu
Akwamu are one of the Akan people inhabiting present day Eastern region of Ghana, they are known for their intrepidity.

The Akwamu migrated from Bono after moving from Kong in the Ivory Coast. This happened after the capital (Kong) of the Kumbu kingdom had been occupied. Majority under leadership of Agyen Kokobo left and established some settlements north of Elmina, where they founded the town of Amenfi, and later Hemang, subsequently called Twifo Hemang in 1480.

Akwamu was built up by Otumfuo Asare who founded Asamankese as its capital, his successor founded Nyanoase on the hill above Asamankese and this became capital of Akwamu.

The Akwamu are one of the most centralised organised Akan forest state, with the powerful Akan military or strategic formations, which is widely practiced in all Akan system. Akwamu expansion started between 1629 and 1710. Akwamu expanded into the Akuapem, Denkyira, Ga-Adangbe, Ladoku etc and beyond the borders of Ghana into Benin. However, in 1734, Akwamu lost control of its empire as they were defeated by collective forces of Akyem, Dutch, Ga and Kyerepong.

Baoule
Baoule is one of the Akan members based in Ivory Coast. The leader Abena Pokuaa led their migration from Ghana, after a succession dispute from Nsuta. The Baoule are heterogeneous people, people of different origins: Assabou are Ashanti, Ahitou are Bono whiles the Alanguiras are Denkyira.

Akyem
The Akyem people are one of the members of the Akan people residing in Eastern Region of Ghana. Akyem is made up of three states. Akyem Kotoku and Bosome were founded by migrants from Denkyira while Akyem Abuakwa had been founded by descendants of Kankyeabo Asona and Kokobeante of Akrokere.

Following their defeat of Akwamu in 1734, the three Akyem states gained independence over Akwamu overlordship. The three confederated states of Akyem flourished in brief period as they got their hands in a whole trade with the Danes, English and Dutch at Christiansborg castle, James Fort and Crève Coeur near Accra respectively. Their prosperity aroused the envy of Asante which had grown into a powerful state and under Opoku Ware defeated them in a battle in 1742

Ahanta
Ahanta people are part of the larger Akan family situated in the Western region of Ghana. The more convincing account stipulates the word 'Ahanta' believed to have coined from the Fante word "hata" which corresponds with "ɣɩnda" in the Ahanta language, meaning to dry or warm oneself when wet or cold. It is believed the forefathers used to warm themselves or dry their clothes in the sun, as a result, they were referred as Ahatafoɔ, which has been corrupted into Ahanta, the ethnic name. A different account also suggests, Ahanta is derived from 'land of twins'.

According to oral tradition, Ahanta migrated along with the Fante from Techiman in 1200s after they separated from Bono. They moved further southward to establish a kingdom between the Pra and Ankobra rivers. In 1471, before the arrival of the Portuguese, the Ahanta kingdom has been well established along the Atlantic Coast under the leadership of Kojo Nda at Busua. It was easy for them to establish a kingdom and organize it well because of the experience of living at Bonoman. The Portuguese built a trading post at Elmina, Fort St. Anthony at Axim and Fort Sebastian at Shama in 1482, 1515 and 1626 respectively whiles the Dutch built Fort Orange in Sekondi in 1642 and Fort Batenstein in Butre in 1656. The pact lasted until 1871 when the Dutch left the Gold Coast and the British took over.

In the early 1800s, they revived their kingdom under a powerful king and with the rhythmic name Badu Bonso. The successor Otumfour Badu Bonso ll, was belligerent against the Dutch in 1837 and ended up killing the Dutch officials whose governance were against his likeness. The Dutch government used the treaty as the basis for military action and reciprocated by decapitating him. Ahantas are predominantly located in Sekondi -Takoradi, Dixcove, Shama, Busua, Butre, Agona Nkwanta, Essikado etc.

Akuapem
The Akuapem people are one of the subgroups of the Akan people, living in the Eastern Region of Ghana. They are mostly patriarchal and matriarchal because of the Guan influence. Most were formerly Guan and Kyerepong, as well as Akan: Larteh, Mamfe, Abotakyi, Mampong, Obosomase, Tutu, Abiriw, Awukugua, Adukrom, Apirede etc.

The name Akuapem was given by Akwamuhene Nana Ansa Sasraku I, a renowned warrior king. The word "thousand groups" (Nkuo apem) in Akan. Thus after the people overpowered his Akwamu invasion force, he gave them these names. The term "Nkuo apem" was corrupted into Akuapem.

Adanse
Adanse is located further south to Bono, about one hundred kilometres to the coast. According to oral tradition, it is believed to have been established some time before 1550 under a ruler whom tradition remembers as Oppong Enim. Like all other Akan, Adanse originated from Bono after passing through from the north. The name of the settlement Adanse etymologically refers to the art of building houses.

References
Daaku, K.Y.(1970) A history of Sefwi: a survey of oral evidence.

Davidson, B., Buah F.K., Ajayi J.F.A (1966) A history of West Africa 1000-1800.

Meyerowitz, E. L. R.(1950) Akan traditions of origin. Faber & Faber Limited.

Meyerowitz, E. L. R.(1951) The sacred state of the Akan. Faber & Faber Limited.

Osei, K. (2001) An Outline of Asante History. Part 1 (3rd ed.). Suame-Kumasi: O. Kwadwo Enterprises.

Boachie-Ansah, J.(2013) A Preliminary Report on an Excavation at Ahwene Koko in the Wenchi Traditional Area of Ghana. Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, University of Ghana, Legon.

Anane–Agyei, N.A–K. (2012) Ghana's Brong Ahafo Region: The story of an African Society in the heart of the world. Abibrem Communications.

Arhin, Kwame. (1979) A Profile of Brong Kyempim, Essays on the Archaeology, History, Language and Politics of the Brong Peoples of Ghana. Accra: Afram Publications.