01/03/2024
HISTORY OF ANUM
The history of the people of Anum dates back to the 11th century when they were located in the south of Sudan. They belonged to the Azumite family and they were known to be pagans. Their leader at that time tried to introduce Christianity to the people which was strongly rebelled by the people. This made most of the people decide to leave Sudan and relocate. These people left and started moving towards Mali in the 12th century. They lived there for some decades. The original Malians living there were Muslims who tried to influence the Anum people with their Islamic beliefs. Again, this sparked an outrage and the people decided to move further south.
Considering the long distance that the people traveled, some said they could not go again and so settled along the way. Some of these people included Sembre who settled in Togo, some remained in the northern part who are now the Tsokorsis, while others branched to Gonja. Others are the Nawiris, Ntwumuru, Krachis, Adeiles, and Atwedi among others.
The rest of the people, who were able to make it came through Ivory Coast to Asankragua in the 13th century where they settled. The Guans were thus believed to be the first ethnic group to set their feet on the soil of the Gold Coast. Somewhere in the 14th century, the people decided to move to Adansi Ayaase where the people of Ashanti joined them. Together, they stayed there for a while. After a while, the Anum people again decided to migrate and this time round, they settled in Nyanawase, near Nsawam. They were there for about three decades before the people of Nkonya joined them from the coastal side of Ghana. Around 1660, the people of Akwamu also came to settle with the people of Anum at Nyanawase, coming in from the western side of Ghana.
As history has it, as a result of a conflict between the people of Akwamu and the people of Anum, a section of the people of Anum decided to move. They were led by Nana Kwasi Anyane, leaving Nenye Kolihue in Nyanawase with the rest of the people.
Nenye Kwasi Anyane finally arrived in Anum in 1718 on a land that was occupied by other groups. Among these groups were the Danke who later became known as Boso. Others were Akpafo, Lolobi, Kpejei, Kamena, Okpese, Adjena, Dodi, Asabi, and Tatablui. Nenye Kwasi Anyane fought all these people and took the land from them, thus conquering the land for the Anum people. After 5 years, Nenye Kwasi Anyane sent for the rest of the people from Nyanawase, and led by Nenye Kolihue, they arrived in 1723.
SOURCE- Anum-Kyiri Amim Di Amim
