United Asante States Under Osei Tutu 1697-1718 (Part 2)

To the chiefs, the gold dust was not difficult, but the demand for the Golden Stool which contained the spirit of the nation and which they had vowed to protect. That was the last straw that broke the camel’s back.

Again no maimed person was allowed to occupy a stool in the Asante Nation therefore, if the King was demanding their fingers, then he was destooling them.

They also viewed the demand for their wives to serve at the King’s court as downright disrespect for Asante manhood.

The Asante prefers death in war to such insult. At this point they were silent for a while, then the chief of Dwaben, Adaakwaa Yiadom, rose up, condemned the whole message and swore to avenge. All the other chiefs supported him. They therefore filled the brass basin with stones to be sent to Ntim Gyakari instead of the gold dust he was demanding. They ordered executioners to cut the fingers of the messengers and add to the stones and also to kill the warrior among the messengers. Their action meant that they had declared war on Denkyira. What next? Was there any possibility that they could match their overlord?

They were sure their great priest and chief of Agona, Nana Okomfo Anokye would help solve the problem for them. He had performed wonders during their war with Dormaa people, so they knew he would repeat the feat.

Okomfo Anokye when consulted assured them that they would be victorious provided some men would give themselves up for sacrifices. Three men would be needed for the sacrifice. One would be buried alive. His hands would appear at the surface of the earth and two brass pans full of war medicine mixed in water would be put in the two palms for the warriors to bath before they left for the war front: The second volunteer would be butchered to death and his flesh thrown away for vultures to take to Denkyira land. Wherever any piece of the flesh would fall the men of the place would lose their bravery and become cowards. The third volunteer should be a Paramount chief. He would be armed and he would be in front of the marching soldiers. He was not to fire a shot even if he met an enemy.

He should look on for the enemy to shoot him.

It was only when he fell that the Asante Nation would be victorious. If he – did not conform to that and he shot a gun, that would be the doom of the Asante Nation.

Those who volunteered were:

(a) Nana Asenso Kofo, chief of Adwumakasekese. He was buried alive.

(b) Nana Dikopim I, chief of Edweso, gave himself up to be butchered to death.

(c)

Nana Tweneboah Kodua, Paramount chief of Kumawu, also gave himself up. He led the marching soldiers. Though he was armed, he was forbidden to shoot; therefore he was killed.

After all the purifications and the necessary preparations, Nana Osei Tutu prepared to lead the Nation as War General.

Okomfo Anokye asked Nana Osei Tutu to stay at home and ask another chief to lead. His explanation was that though Asante Nation would win the war, whoever led as the War General would not live beyond seven days after the war.

Here too, Nana Boahen Anantuo, chief of Mampong, volunteered to lead the soldiers to the war.

He, however, asked that since he was taking the place of Asantehene, as War General, his stool should be next to that of Asantehene. Asantehene was occupying the Golden Stool, therefore his state should occupy a Silver Stool. This was granted.

Like Boahen Anantuo, the first three volunteers also made requests. Asenso Kofo requested that after his death, nobody from his town, Adwumakasekese, should ever be killed for sacrifice in any form. Dikopim, the chief of Edweso, also requested that nobody from his clan, Asona, should be sacrificed in any form.

Nana Tweneboa Kodua also requested that nobody from his state should ever be sacrificed in any form. Again, whenever a drummer from any of the Asante states started drumming on Atumpan drums, his appellation should be sounded to remind future generations that they too should sacrifice themselves for the Asante Nation.

When all was set, the chiefs swore to Nana Osei Tutu that they would forever push forward, never would they retreat.

The advance guard was led by Tweneboa Kodua while Boahen Anantuo led them as War General. Okomfo Anokye himself was at the war front and provided the magical antidotes. The battle was fierce but with determination, the Asante Nation was victorious. The king of Denkyira, Ntim Gyakari, was captured at Feyiase and beheaded. Denkyira thus became subject to Asante.

The chiefs who sat together to plan the Denkyira war were:

Nana Osei Tutu – King of Asante

Nana Tweneboa Kodua – Chief of Kumawu

Nana Boahen Anantuo – Chief of Mampong

Nana Adaakwaa Yiadom – Chief of Dwaben

Nana Onomapau – Chief of Asumegya

Nana Kofi Dwaa Ayeboafo – Chief of Bekwai

Nana Agyemang Ampomfi – Chief of Kokofu

Nana Oduro Panin – Chief of Nsuta

Nana Wiafe Akenten – Chief of Offinso

Nana Dikopim – Chief of Edweso

Nana Krobea – Chief of Tafo

Nana Okomfo Anokye -Chief of Agona

After the Denkyira war, Asante Nation continued fighting to extend her borders.

According to oral tradition, Adanse was a powerful state before Denkyira subdued it and made it her vassal. When the Asante states became united and decided to fight Denkyira, Adanse was contacted but she refused to join them and instead left for Akyem because she was not prepared for war.

However, after the defeat of Denkyira, they came back to their land and agreed to form part of the Asante kingdom. This was during the reign of Nana Osei Tutu.

The two most important wars waged by Nana Osei Tutu were the Dormaa war and the Denkyira war. The defeat of Denkyira earned Asante Nation the documents on the Elmina Castle which hitherto were in the possession of Denkyira.

Nana Osei Tutu’s reign was a great landmark in the history of Asante Kingdom. It was during his reign that Asante Nation sprang from independent small states to form a strong union under one king and became a kingdom. He organised the Nation on military bases, grouping the states into various war flanks.

He built Kumasi as the capital of the kingdom. It was during his reign that Elmina Castle became the property of the Asante Nation.

Many of the laws governing the kingdom were made, during his reign.

According to oral tradition, he instituted the Odwira Festival in the Kingdom after the defeat of Denkyira.

Nana Osei Tutu laid a solid foundation for the Asante Nation. However, he gave too much freedom to the conquered states and allowed their chiefs to rule over their subjects instead of appointing ambassadors to the conquered states. This policy gave the states freedom to organise their army to fight Asante again for their Independence. One of such rebellions was that raised by Boadu Akefun, the chief of Denkyira who succeeded Ntim Gyakari. Osei Tutu had to send his army to fight and conquer Denkyira again, just a year after the first war.