Blame some B/A Chiefs and not Asantehene.

When British conquered Asantes in 1874,historical records indicate that most of the tribes who were under Asante gained their independence from Asante.Kwahu were aided by Akims to joined the colony.Sehwis who were previous under Asantes also gained their independent.Gonja,Dagomba and many others seized to be under Asante. Sehwis became part of the colony and Gonja and Dagomba became newly created Northern Territory by the British. Thus Kwahus,Sehwis,Gonjas,Dagombas, were separated far from Asante attachment till today.

Dunn and Robertson, later Kwame Arhin stated that “Ahafos were granted autonomy by the British with Kukuomhehe as Omanhene”. The above writers mentioned that, Mim became uncomfortable with Kukuom position as Omanhene of Ahafos. Scheming and discomforting with Kukuom as Omanhene of Asunafo Ahafo made the British to change the game plan. The concept of appointing three chiefs to exercise jurisdiction over a tradional area was then prescribed. Thus Kukuom, Mim and Noberkaw became somehow the over lords of Ahafo after the conquest of Asante by British.

Towns under MIM were: Goaso, Hwidiem, Kenyasi, Acherensua, Ntotroso, and Nkasiem and Jedu.

Towns under KUKUOM were: Dantano, Tweneto, Dadiesoaba, Akrodie, Ayomso and Fawohoyeden.

NOBERKAW had the following towns: Kwapong, Sankore, Asufufuo, Anwiam, Senkyam, Kwaku Nwuma and Abuom

Kwame Arhin stated that, British treated Ahafos with a high sense of urgency than any place within their administration. British resisted against Asante tradition land lords intrusion. Similar structure happened to the Sehwis with Bekwai, Wioso and Ahwiaso as Amanhene.

Kwame Arhin mentioned that, Kenyasi and some towns in Ahafo rejected the new overlords. This happened between 1896-1935. They preferred their old allegiance to Asante against British imposition. Kwame Arhin said, that left Ahafo without Omanhene at the time Asante confederacy was established.

In 1950s Kukuomhehe allied with CPP government to get Ahafo back to the place where British placed them.Kukuomhene succeeds by placing Ahafo with Brongs.Some of the gains he achieved were:Ahafo traditionalcouncil,Ahafo scholarship scheme,Ahafo Identity projected,Acherensua secondary School, salaries paid by government to the local Ahafo chiefs. Against that background were others opposing Chiefs who wanted Ahafo to part of Asante. The opposing Chiefs got their request when Nkrumah was overthrown by NLC government. The CPP Chiefs by Kukuomhehe were destooled in favor of Pro Asante Chiefs. From 1966 -1989, Kukuomhene spent a lot of wealth at hand to get Ahafo chiefs back to his side, yet with little success. Coussey Committee report indicated that Ahafos are not united. Rawlings government was consulted, but help was not received.Asantehene Opoku Ware11, then decided to elevate most of the pro-Asante chiefs to Amanhene.Kukuomhene resisted for some time but found himself isolated. Old age was at his side and no government support as happened in British and Nkrumah governments. He then surrendered to Opoku Ware11 intelligentsia. Now we have seen the case of Ahafos, Some of the Brong chiefs were afraid of the Asante confederacy in 1935.Prior to that, Wenchi, Dormaa, Techiman, Nkransa, Bechem, Brekum, Drobo, Sunyani-Domasi and many others were elevated by British as Amanhene. Like Ahafos, there were some disinterested groups within Brong areas who wanted to be with Asantes. Nana Opoku Ware11, after getting the Ahafos to his side tried to annex the pro Asante chiefs in Techiman and Wenchi areas to his side. Unlike Kukuomhene, Techimanhene resisted and that had resulted to the present Techiman and Asante crises.

In conclusion, Asantehene is not to be blamed for problems in B/A. Some of the B/A Chiefs are the problem.Sehwis, Kwahus, Dagombas and Gonjas are free from Asante intrusion, all because they have remained united from the time they got their independent from Asante. They choose to attend Asante’s important gathering at their own freewill.

Kojo Nidah

Sources:1. Kwame Arhin, Article of Southern B/A 2. Dunn and Robertson, Dependency,Opportunity:political change in Ahafo