A The Baoule Kingdom was founded in 1720 by the Great Asante Warrior-Queen and Head of the Royal Family that broke away from the Akan Ruling House in Kwaman/Kumase after the assassination of Nana Daako, heir to the throne and brother of Nana Pokuaa. 

The Baoule Kingdom was founded by Nana Abena Pokuaa - (ABLA POUKOU) - 1720 and consolidated it by 1730. 

From 1730 - 1760 Nana Abena Pokuaa reigned as the warrior queen of the Akans in present day Cote d’Ivoire.

The Breaking of Royal Lineage and ties-OYOKO AND ADAKO

Whereas the royals of the Adako (Nsuta) Clan are Uncles of the Oyoko (Kumase) Clan, they felt that with the death of Nana Osei Tutu I, an uncle should be selected to lead the nation in the absence of a nephew. This brought about a succession feud resulting in Nana Dako (brother of Nana Pokuaa) beheaded by the partisans of Opoku Ware I. This incident brought about the civil war that engulfed the Asante Kingdom between 1717 to 1720 The incident split the Kingdom into two and the then united Oyoko-Dako Clan was also divided. The Oyokos who were the nephews of the Adakos, headed by Opoku Ware, kept control of Oyoko clan and the Kofi Sika Dwa, (Golden Stool of Asante) whereas Nana Abena Pokuaa the Queen Mother moved to Kaase (Kwaman) with her partisans numbering about 3.5 million half the population of Asante moved and settled with the Anyi, Nzema and the Sanhwi to the west of Asante. Nana Opoku Ware was enstooled as Asantehene and his mother Nana Nyarko Kusi Amoa, the niece of Nana Abena Pokuaa was also entooled as the Queen mother of Asante in 1720.

THE DEATH OF KING OSEI TUTU I AND THE TUMULT THAT BROUGHT ABOUT THE SPLIT OF THE OYOKO - DAKO CLAN

Nana Osei Tutu I reigned from 1680 to 1717. He was killed during the civil war between the Asantes and the Akyems whilst crossing River Pra. At the onset of the struggle, he had underestimated the Akyem because they were few in number, going into battle without his usual "magical amulets," and even leaving some of his body armor back at Kumase. As he was crossing River Pra in a canoe, he was struck by bullets from snipers and sharpshooters, who were hiding in the dense treeline. Asantehene Osei Tutu I died minutes after being shot. His last words were "Ankah me nim a" (If only I knew), an apparent reference to his having underestimated the Akyem. Till the present day the occupant of the Golden Stool of Asante is forbidden to cross River Pra.He had gone to war with his grandnephew Opoku Ware and after his death, Opoku Ware searched desperately for the body of his granduncle but unfortunately could not recover the body from River Pra. When he finally returned home, some of the kingmakers from the Adako Royal house had proposed his great-granduncle Nana Dako as the next reigning monarch. This infuriated Opoku Ware, chosen by the Priest Okomfo Anokye as successor of his grand-uncle Osei Tutu I. He was determined to fulfill his prophetic destiny. In the scuffles that ensued, the Oyoko partisans of Opoku Ware assassinated Nana Dako.

The Death of Osei Tutu came about due to ill advise on the part of his young determined warriors who wanted so much to carry on with the war to conquer the entire Akan Kingdom. But with the killing of Ntim Gyakari, the Asantes defeated the Denkyira, but because the Denkyira ran away with the Akan Unifying throne (Amprofi Tutu (Tanou) Matriarchal Throne) King Osei Tutu I remained only the King of the Asantes and not the Akans in the absence of the Amprofi Tutu Throne.

He therefore forged ahead defying all advise of the Seers and the Queen Mother, The Young Brave Warriors led by Opoku Ware continued their campaign, waging war against the Akyem and all other Akans. One faithful day while fighting King Osei Tutu tried to cross the River Pra in to the Akyem stronghold , but the Akyems led by Owusu Akyem Tenten resisted and in the process shot King Osei Tutu who felt in the River.

His Corpse was never recovered till this day. After the death of Nana Osei Tutu, Nana Abena Pokuaa and her Council of Elders upon hearing the news and consulting with the Oracles of State, decided to nominate Nana Dako to succeed Nana Osei Tutu but the nomination was not pleasing to Opoku Ware, so he and his partisans rebled and killed Nana Dako, this brought about the Civil War that lasted three years 1717 -1720.

THE DEATH OF NANA DAKO

The assassination of Nana Dako brought about the greatest and perhaps longest schism that ever erupted in Akan history. Mothers fought against sons, brothers against brothers, sisters against sisters. Families, clans and the entire Akan Nation was divided, never to unite again until this day. Nana Abena Pokuaa, heir to the Throne and leader of the resistance movement against Opoku Ware I, took portions of the royal regalia and paraphernalia and half of the entire royal house to accompany her on a journey that can be labeled the ‘trail of tears for liberty and freedom\".

THE CIVIL WAR (1717 - 1720) BETWEEN NANA ABENA POKUAA AND NANA OPOKU WARE I

Nana Abena Pokuaa mobilised her partisans and moved from Nsuta to Kwaman, present day Kaase and fought her way to freedom. The entire army of Opoku Ware I followed the partisans. Capture or arrest of a partisan of Abena Pokuaa meant summary execution. Many of the Adako Royals were killed together with their Ekoana supporters. When Nana Abena Pokuaa moved about the countryside, war and destruction was everywhere. Civil War had engulfed the nation.

From 1717 to 1720, the Asante Kingdom was in tumult, civil strife raged and the Adako-Oyoko Royal Household was divided. For three years, the family was unable to select a successor to the throne. The stool and other royal regalia\"s were in the hands of Nana Abena Pokuaa. She moved with her partisans to Tanoso, leaving the very Kingdom they had founded. 

At Tanoso, Nana Abena Pokuaa consulted with her Atanno and after purification and other ceremonies, they moved on to cross the Comoe river, to face yet other formidable enemies of old of King Osei Tutu I. All the immediate royal family members, Nana Yeboaa and others went away with Nana Abena Pokuaa, with the exception of Nana Nnimsemaa who stayed behind to pray for protection for the save passage of the departing team and to consult with the Atano as tradition demanded at the time, until Nana Abena Pokuaa was safely behind the Comoe river. 

Nana Nnimsemaa, sister of Nana Yeboaa and Nana Abena Pokuaa chose to hide their true identities, as they remained behind, knowing that the partisans of Opoku Ware I will kill her and her entourage the moment they were identified as partisans of Abena Pokuaa. Many had to change their clan allegiance in order to survive Opoku Ware\"s wrath. Nana Nnimsemaa married the Akyeremahene of the Tano deity and her offsprings remained at Tanoso until this day.

SACRIFICE AND MIRACLE AT RIVER COMOE

For the members of both Royal Houses, the death of Nana Dako and the subsequent civil war that ensued was the most painful event in the history of the family. For Nana Opoku Ware I, the division of his family and the breakaway of a major part of the family, just at the beginning of his reign was not favorable. He would have wished that Nana Dako was alive and Nana Abena Pokuaa had not rebelled. However, as the new king he must unify his new nation and show national solidarity and continuity.

The task of Nana Abena Pokuaa was preserving the most sacred of family dreams - heritage. She needed to save the Adako Royal Family and the only way possible, was to go away to create a new nation in an unknown land. The decision by Nana Pokuaa\"s own family to resist and bring about schism was not an easy task. The trail was full of uncertainties, tears, losses, death, depravation and sacrifices for all who embarked on that journey. Upon arrival on the banks of the Comoe River, the river was flooded and impossible to cross. In those days, there were no boats and even if they had the skills to make a canoe, it would have taken several weeks. Knowing that the partisans of Opoku Ware I was on their trail, there was no time to waste. The Tano deity, Akora that accompanied them advised, that if they want to be saved from the armies of Opoku Ware I and to cross the river before the army arrives, they need to sacrifice a child to the Gods and the River Comoe. 

When the Elders consulted, they were told the child to be sacrificed should be that of Nana Abena Pokuaa herself. In view of the impending danger, Nana Abena Pokuaa had no choice but to sacrifice her child to save the multitude of people who had followed her. Ceremonies were performed, prayers said, in accordance to customs and tradition, Nana Pokuaa offered her child to be sacrificed. After the ceremony, the waters in the river started moving and a herd of hippopotamus appeared in the river, lined up to form a bridge, on which the people crossed the river to safety and freedom. The miracle that took place that day also gave the name to the new Kingdom that they founded afterwards. BA NO AWU (Nana ba no awu) in the Twi language, has its English translation as "(the child of Nana is dead)". It later became Baule, the name of the new nation, founded by Nana Abena Pokuaa, present day La 

 d\"Ivoire.

Immediately after the passage, the armies of Opoku Ware I arrived at the river. Some of the brave soldiers attempted to cross, but the hippopotamus moved under the water and all those who attempted to mount on the back of the hippos, drowned in the Comoe river. The place where the miraculous bridge of Liberty appeared is there until this day. The Akans go to this site every year to pour libation in honour of the ancestors in remembrance of their faith in God and their tenacity of purpose that resulted in the creation of a new nation - of Ba no awu - Baule in vernacular or Baoule in French - meaning "the child is dead" as it is in the original dialect - "Ba no awu".

Because of the sacrificial offering of Nana Abena Pokuaa\"s child, a new kingdom was born. Before Nana Abena Pokuaa reached the crossing line in the river, a giant rose out of the Comoe river and handed her a Golden stool, the throne on which Nana Abena Pokuaa sat to build the Baoule kingdom. 

After the passage, the Kyidom warriors of Nana Abena Pokuaa\"s army decided to settle at the edge of the river and kept the Golden Umbrella and the sword of Nana Osei Tutu I as a token of their sacrifice and as symbol of unity of the Akans in present La Cote d\"Ivoire.

Whatever the interpretation of the events by the river Comoe on that fateful day, the Akans in La Cote d\"Ivoire, know beyond reasonable doubt that God was with their Ancestors and protected and assisted them to cross the River Comoe. Nana Abena Pokuaa departed from the shores of the Comoe river into the hinterland along the banks of the Bandama river at Warebo, where she founded Tano Sakassou as her capital city and formed the new Adako Royal Kingdom of Baoule. It ushered in new hope for her people, but it was not until they had fought and defeated the remnants of the Denkyiras, already defeated by King Osei Tutu, that hope turned into reality. The kingdoms of Akyie, Abbe, the Ebrie, the Mbatto and all the Akan Kingdoms and kingdoms in La Cote d\"Ivoire owe and continue to pay allegiance to Obaahemaa Nana Abena Pokuaa, the Warrior-Queen mother who founded the second Kingdom of the Greatest King, Akans ever had, Nana Osei Tutu I. 

Between 1720 and 1730 Nana Abena Pokuaa, faced with many obstacles, confronted life with determination, living among the Nzima/Anyi and Safwi, She adopted their language and even cange her name from Abena Pokuaa to Abla Poku thus delinking any ties with Asante. Nana Abla Pokou in order to cross the River Comoe to escape the partisans of Opoku Ware who were sent to return the partisans of Nana Pokuaa back into the Asante Kingdom, had to sacrifice her son to the River Comoe before they were able to cross the river with her partisans. After crossing the River Comoe Nana Abla Pokou and her various warrior Groups started to settle each to ts location. The Kyidom warriors (Akye) settled immediately after the river Comoe to guide the route to Asante. They kept the Golden UMBRELLA and the sword of Nana Osei Tutu. The Abbe (Torchbearers) also settled after the Akye and the Mbatto, Ebrie and all the other foot Soldiers settled in the regions that is today Akan land in Ivory Coast.

In accordance to Akan tradition, after the consolidation of the new Kingdom, after meeting fierce resistance from the defeated for Lords of the Akan the Denkyira, Nana Abena Pokua defeated them in war and subdued them and thereby established the Baule Kingdom. By 1730 Nana Abla Poukou was entooled as the First Reigning Queen of the New Akan Kingdom of Baule after the death of Nana Osei Tutu I. thereby with the stools of Obiri Yeboah and DENKYIRA UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE NEW KINGDOM, Nana Poukou established Baule Dakon Clan as the undesputed leader and Ruler of the Akans.

Beretuo Dynasty 1717 to 1720 Amaniampon, the Mamponghene Regent, Mamponghene became regent due to the assassination of Nana Dako during the contest for the Succession to the throne after the death of King Osei Tutu the civil that ensued lasted for 3 years 1717-1720 that led to the migration of Nana Abena Pokuaa and the Adako Dynasty to Cote d’lvoire and the founding of the Baule Kingdom.

By 1720, Nanan Abenaa Pokuaa decided to end the war and moved out of Asante, They moved through Techimantia to Akomadan to Tanoso where they settled with the Atanno Deities. There at Tanoso the Adako Royal Family and the Elders prepared and those who could accompany on the trip West decided to go with Tano Akora, while Tano Apem and the other Gods stayed with after preparations, portion of the Family left with Nana Abena Pokuaa and the Adako Partisans.

After arriving at Werebou The Queen Fought to establish herself and build a new Cite of Tanou Sakassou as the Capital of her new Kingdom, She Help established all the other members into various communities and kingdoms, But She was confronted by the Denkyira Remnants who took away the Amprofi Tutu Matriarchal Unifying throne . They wanted to avenge the killing of their King Nana Ntim Gyakari, so they mobilized and attacked Nanan Abla Poukou\"s settlements. Nanan fought back and defeated the Denkyira and recaptured the Akan Unifying Throne. This made Nanan Abla Poukou the custodian of the three Stools:, the Obiri Yeboa Stool of Kwaman, The Comoe Stool after the sacrifice and crossing the River Comoe and the Amprofi Tutu Matriarchal Throne.

THE WARRIOR-QUEEN, NANA ABENA POKUAA

Nana Abena Pokuaa, the First Queen mother of the Akan people who migrated to present day La Cote d\"Ivoire, was a member of the Adako-Oyoko Royal family and direct descendant of the great Akan kings.

Nana Baffour Gyanko Fofie I, the present Supreme head of the ADAKO ROYAL HOUSE is a direct descendant of Nana Abena Pokuaa, who ruled 1720 to 1760.

As a result of the family civil war, Nana Abena Pokuaa, the sister of Nana Dako, was forced to flee to present day La Cote D\"Ivoire and as such brought about the split of the royal family. In 1720, Nana Abena Pokuaa migrated with her partisans to the new country through Tanoso, baptising in the River Tano, paying homage and performing the customary rites to the fetish Tano and Atekusuaa. At Tanoso, a member of the Royal Household, sister of Nana Pokuaa and fetish priestess of Taa Pem decided to stay with Tano to guard the rear, while the other members of the family moved on with Nana Pokuaa. Hence, the great grandmother of Nana Gyanko Fofie remained at Tanoso, while the rest of the family moved on to the new country. Arriving by the River Comoe, Nana Pokuaa sacrificed her young child to the river god in order to cross the river.

Having succeeded in crossing, they came to the region of today\"s Bouake, where she and her followers fought the Senoufou in the north, the Guru in the west, who had arrived shortly before her and the Denkyiras, who were defeated by her uncle Osei Tutu earlier on. By 1730, Nana Abena Pokuaa had subdued all her enemies and had established a powerful Empire called Baoule in memory of the sacrificed child. She became the first Queen Mother of the Kingdom.

She reigned for 30 years and built a very strong kingdom with the capital at Warebo, Sakassou, 

NANA HOUPHOUET FAITAI reigned as the Akan Queen Mother till shortly before her death in 1998, when she nominated Nana Baffour Gyanko Fofie as her successor and King of the Akans. Due to the events in the country shortly after the funeral of Nana Faitai the official enstoolment of Nana Baffour Gyanko Fofie who is also the Oyoko-Dakohene has not yet taken place. However, Nana Baffour Gyanko Fofie is considered the reigning Monarch of the Akan Nation of La Cote d\"Ivoire.

Credit: Akan (Dakon) Royal House