ABAKƆSƐM BRƐ: Asante Nation under OTUMFOƆ OSEI TUTU KWAME ASIBE BONSU (Part 2)(7th Occupant of the Golden Stool)

ABAKƆSƐM BRƐ: Asante Nation under OTUMFOƆ OSEI TUTU KWAME ASIBE BONSU (Part 2)

(7th Occupant of the Golden Stool)

Nana Osei Kwame has fought and conquered the coastal states; he had swam in the sea and as a result added the name "Bonsu" to his name.

The coastal states had become part of the Asante Kingdom, all the forts had become property of the Asante Nation, therefore they had started paying rent to the Asante Nation treasury.

His next step therefore was to make friends with the white man and ask the white man's government to appoint ambassador to Kumase. He requested for one but this request was not granted at the time.

It was in 1817 that the white man saw the necessity of appointing an ambassador to Kumase, therefore envoys were sent to Kumase to make peace treaty with the Asantehene The most important terms in the treaty were:

(a) How payment on the forts would be affected.

(b) How the European traders would protect the Asante nationals who went to trade with them.

(c) How settlement of cases of assault or insult against an Asante National by a citizen of the coast should be handled peacefully and how an insult or assault from an Asante national on those from the coast too should be settled.

The first ambassador appointed to Kumase was Mr. William Hutcheson.  The treaty was not accepted by the governor because, each of the three copies produced carried a different idea.

While the King's attention was focused on the new gains at the coast and the kingdom's relationship with the governor, the chief of Gyaman, Kwadwo Adinkra Kakari, thought that the king was no more concerned with the affairs of the interior of the state, therefore, he also made a golden stool for himself.

This news reached the king and he raised an army to go and punish Kwadwo Adinkra Kakari for insubordination. A fierce battle was fought at the banks of River Tain. The Asante army could not penetrate the forces of Gyaman as was expected. 

Face to face with this strong resistance, the Chief of Kokofu sent messengers to the king that he was thirsty and needed some water to drink. Asantehene ordered some of the warriors to send sixty calabashes full of water to him. 

When Kokofuhene received the water he poured it out and sent another message that he needed water from River Tain to quench his thirst. He said the king should permit him to penetrate through the Gyaman forces in order to go and drink from the river. 

The king granted him the permission and he was accompanied by the Chief of Akyem Bosome and three hundred soldiers as they fought their way through to the River. 

Reinforcement was sent to help Kokofuhene and they soon drove the Gyaman forces away. This deed earned Kokofuhene the appellation: " Oko tware Asuo" , I.e. he who fights to cross the river.

Kwadwo Adinkra was defeated and his Adinkra symbol designers were taken to Kumasi. 

At the coast, it was rumoured that the Gyamans had defeated the Asante forces.

When people with a bone of contention against the Asante Nation received the news, they smeared themselves with powder, indicating happiness and victory and took to the streets singing and jubilating.

The chief among them were the people of Komenda. The news was however, refuted by the Asante nationals present.

Asantehene sent messengers to the Governor to break the news of his victory, but all these was disbelieved by the people of Komenda. They even hooted at the messengers and drove them away.

This action by some of the coastal people annoyed the Asante Nation because of the treaty made with T. E Bowditch stipulated that, "Should any coastal state act in a way as to cause annoyance in the camp of Asante Nation, or to show disrespect towards the king, the Governor was to reprimand the state", But if the Governor was silent on the issue then the white man could not keep his promise. 

The king, on hearing the act, sent a strong petition to the Governor to act on the issue, but nothing was done, this nearly started another war.

However, the king received message that the British Parliament had appointed Mr. Joseph Dupuils as resident representative in Kumasi therefore everything was deferred until his arrival.

Piawwwww 

What will happen to the Coastal people especially the people of Komenda for breaching the treaty?

Will the Governor punish the Komenda people for gross disrespect towards Asantehene's messengers?

This history is getting more interesting as the story keeps unfolding.

We will continue on Saturday.

I hope you have learnt something new tonight?

All questions are warmly welcome 🙏

Mema mo nyinaa dayie.

Piawwwww!!!

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