Asante Dwaben (Juaben) And New Dwaben (Koforidua) Relation.

Asante Dwaben (Juaben) is one of the five Asanteman Piesie Nnum (Amantuonum of Asante): Kokofu, Nsuta, Kwaeman/Kumase, Mampon, and Dwaben. These are viewed as the core of Asanteman.

Asumenya, Bekwai and Offinso receive very honourable mention. It was these states and their people who joined together in a Confederation to form ASANTEMAN in 1701. Their unity was cemented by the defeat of their common foe and overlord, Ntim Gyakari and the Dankyira nation at Feyiase.

Osei Tutu Opemsuo became the first Asantehene (Monarch of Asante). Prophet Okomfo Anokye provided the religious and spiritual underpinning/glue of the new Asante nation by commanding the SIKADWA (Golden Stool) from [the sky] to serve as the unifying agent and symbol of authority for the new Nation. Thus, was born the Three (3) Asante Trinity: SIKADWA; OTUMFUO ASANTEHENE; and ASANTEMAN.

Dwaben is a member of the Asante matri-clan called Oyoko, members of which also include Kumase, Kokofu, Bekwai, Nsuta (Adako), and others. Indeed, The Chief of Dwaben is considered as the head of all the Oyoko Abusua (family) in Asante. It is therefore regrettable, that Dwaben and Kumase have not enjoyed peaceful relations in the past.

Dwaben and Kumase relations began on the wrong foot when Nana Dwabenhene Adakwaa Yiadom who fought brilliantly in the Asante-Denkyira War, was accused by Asantehene Osei Tutu and the Kumase Abrempong for not surrendering all of the gold artefacts and emblems captured at Abankeseɛso from Denkyira, to Asanteman.

It was Asante custom for Chiefs to surrender war booty to Asantehene who would then give a portion to the victorious Chiefs. According to Asante tradition and lore, Okomfo Anokye caused an ant to enter Nana Dwabenhene’s inner ear during a grand durbar of Asante Chiefs, creating an embarrassing situation for Nana Dwabenhene. He, however, did not return the alleged gold in his possession.

Then, in 1826, Asante went to war against the Europeans on the coast….Britain, Denmark, Holland, and their African allies….for the control of the coastal areas of modern-day Ghana. This was the Akatamanso War of 1826, aka Second Anglo-Asante War…as British Historians put it.

It was a total defeat for Asante. It resulted in the 1831 Treaty whereby Asante gave up any control/influence over the coastal areas. The British turned those areas into the British PROTECTED Territories of the Gold Coast, forerunner to the Gold Coast of 1874…post-Sagrenti War.

Significant for our topic here, is that, in the heat of battle, on August 7, 1826, Otumfuo Osei Yaw Akoto left the battlefield at Akatamanso in the face of an unrelenting barrage of shots from the Europeans and their allies. In the confusion, the SIKADWA was temporarily abandoned and got in the possession of the enemy.

Instinctively, Antwi Panin, the Chief of Kutenase mounted a recovery team to retrieve the SIKADWA. He was joined by Dwabenhene Daasebre Kwasi Boaten, They succeeded in recovering the SIKADWA from the enemy who as was reported, were “gazing at it frightfully,” unable to comprehend what it was…”

According to W. Walton Claridge’s book “A History of the Gold Coast and Ashanti,” published in 1885,” based on interactions and interviews with people who actually took part in that war. The two Asante Chiefs received a great ovation when they returned with the SIKADWA.

The Dwabenehene was accorded the accolade “OWOROKOMA,” that is, one upon whom the nation depends to fight in the heat of battle…the dependable one in battle. Nana Antwi Panin, the Kontanasehene, received thirty-nine bullet shots, but he survived the ordeal and so that earned him the accolade OGYEABUO….that, is, he who receives, yet, repulses bullets.

The Dwabenehene surrendered the Stool to Asantehene Osei Yaw Akoto on Asante territory in the ancient town of SAWUA. Again, the Asantehene and Kumase Abrempong accused Nana Dwabenhene of keeping to himself, a box containing gold dust. The desecration of SIKADWA is an unspeakable crime, to which Dwabenhene Akwasi Boateng took serious offence, and vehemently denied.

Matters came to a head when both the Dwabenhene and Asantehene supported rival candidates in the succession to the Nsuta Stool following the death of Nsutahene Yaw Osekyere (Yaw Sekyere), who died on the battlefield at Akatamanso (Dodowa War).

The upshot was that the candidate supported by Dwabenhene, and his supporters were invited to Kumasi for settlement. Unfortunately, they were murdered in cold blood on their way. Nana Dwabenehene was peeved at what he described as treachery and NEVER forgot that.

So, when a bosom friend of Dwabenhene by the name of Kotiako, sought asylum in Kumase after he was accused by a wife of Dwabenhene for taking liberties with Dwabenhene’s wives, added fire to the already tense situation.

The Kotiako case which also led the Dwabenhene to declare, after Kumase forces lined up against Dwaben, “Sɛ Brebre a mma a, anka amaneɛ nso a amma….Kotiako na me ne no wo asɛm….” is the immediate cause for the war between Dwaben and Kumase, that led to the 1832 migration of mainly Dwaben people to Akyem.

However, after the death of Osei Yaw Akoto, the Dwaben returned after being assured of peaceful relations by the new Asantehene Kwaku Dua Agyeman.

Dwabenehene Kwasi Boateng died at Saman near Osino, and his brother, Kofi Boateng who succeeded him, died eighty days after enstoolment. Therefore, the Dwaben people were led on their return by Nana Amma Serwaa (Dwaben Serwaa) who ruled concurrently as Dwabenhene. There were no male heirs left. Many of the Dwaben royal family members had died at Dwaben during the Dwaben-Kumase War.

Nana Amma Serwaa was succeeded in 1846, by her daughter Ohemaa Afrakoma II aka Afrakoma Panin. She was succeeded by her daughter Akua Sapomaa. Nana Akua Sapomaa’s husband (Agyei Twum, son of Dwabenhene Kwasi Boaten) aka Asafo Agyei of the Asona Clan later became Dwabenhene much to the opposition and consternation of fellow Oyoko Abusua in Kumase, Nsuta, Kokofu and elsewhere.

Dwabenhene Asafo Agyei proved to be singularly cantankerous and anti-Kumase. No wonder then, that Dwaben withheld support from Asante during the SAGRENTI WAR 1873-1874. Asafo Agyei wanted British support to fight Kumase. Thus, ensued what is known in Asante as “ASAFO AGYEI KO” in 1875…Kumase-Dwaben War again.

After this war, Asafo Agyei led Dwaben out of Asante. This time…1875, other towns such as Effiduasi, Asokore, Oyoko, Nsuta, etc., joined in the migration.

Through the efforts of Akyem Abuakwahene Nana Amoako Atta I, the government secured land from the Kukurantumihene. The new settlement became what is known as NEW DWABEN…Koforidua; Effiduase, Asokore, Oyoko, Dwumaapo (Jumapo), etc in the Eastern Region.

Koforidua was built from scratch and became the capital of the new region…Eastern Region. Something Okomfo Anokye prophesied in 1701 that: “wherever Asante goes, it will shine”.

Even the British were concerned about Asafo Agyei’s rabid anti-Asante stance. In 1880 he was exiled to Lagos, Nigeria. He died there.

Until 1898 a triumvir consisting of Akyeampong Kwasi, Okyere, and Asafo Boateng managed the affairs of New Duaben State on behalf of Princess Ama Serwaa. In October 1901 Ama Serwaa left Koforidua for Asante Dwaben. In her absence, Nana Okyere and Asafo Boateng acted as caretakers.

In June 1907 the Chiefs of New Dwaben elected Asafo Boateng as their head and petitioned the colonial government for his formal recognition as Omanhene of New Dwaben. In Asante Dwaben, the young teenager Yaw Sarpong became Dwabenhene. And, that completed the formation of New Dwaben as a separate “Omanhene” in addition to ‘old’ Dwaben.

The late Omanhene of New Dwaben, Daasebre Oti Boateng, and Daasebre Otuo Serebuo, current Omanhene of Asante Dwaben are brothers from the same mother, as is Nana Dwabenhemaa of Asante Dwaben.

Some of the Dwaben immigrants also founded towns such as Enyiresi, Kankang, Asaaman etc, in Akyem Abuakwa itself. These towns owed allegiance to Dwaben. In the 1920’s, Akyem Abuakwahene Ofori Atta I appealed to the British colonial government to change that. Allegiance of the Dwaben towns in Akyem Abuakwa and Akyem Kotoku were then transferred to the respective Amanhene.

New Dwaben is now the Lion of the East. The current New Dwabenhene is Daasebre Kwaku Boateng III and he is the nephew of Asante Dwabenhene, Daasebre Otuo Siriboe II. A lion is a lion no matter how small he is.