12/06/2024
Ga-Asante relationship 1700-1823
According to AA Amartey, EA Ammah, and other sources there was a Ga kingdom in Ayawaso (30kms north of Ga) by 1483 led by Ayi Kushi.
We also know that the Asante confederacy was founded by Okomfo Anokye in 1701. However, the clans that came together to form Asante had been in existence for few centuries. One of the clans was Boa Ankama from Akrokerri.
After the defeat of Okaikoi led Ga by Akwamu, and the collapse of Ayawaso as Ga capital, Gamɛi started their coastal migration. Their first stop was Kpatsakorle (Bubiiashi) in 1680. It would appear this was the place Ashaŋmɔ took Afadi Okaikoi's stool to Aneho. It would also appear that, Ayi Tuŋma (Tuŋma Ayi) became Ga Mantse here. It is not very clear the relationship between Okaikoi and Ashaŋmor and Ayi Tuŋma. I have been advised they were all half brothers, sons of Mampong Okai.
Ga stayed at Kpatsakorle for 20years 1680-1700 under Ayi Tuŋma, and he might have taken them to the coast. It would appear that Ayi Tuŋma died shortly after arrival on the coast because both Ammah and Amartey wrote that a new and first king Ayikuma Tieku Baah was installed on the coast in 1700.
Who was Ayikuma? Ammah and Amartey penned he was a son of Okaile, Okaikoi's sister. Reindorf on the other hand said he was a son of Ayorkor, a daughter of Ayi Tuŋma. All three agreed that there was a constitutional crisis because for the first time, a son of a female ascended the throne. I believe Ayikuma was a son of Okaile and not Ayorkor, so a nephew rather than a grandnephew of Okaikoi became Ga Mantse. I do not think a whole generation of nephews would be skipped to that of grandnephews.
Who was the father of Ayikuma? This is the most interesting part of the whole story. I was told, he was called Ofori Ankama from the Boa Ankama clan of Akrokerri in Asante. So, even before the Asante confederacy was created in 1701, an Asanteman was in Ga. What was he doing in. Ga? Apparently, he was contracted as a mercenary to help Ga fight Akwamu. The relationship between Ga and Asante is very deep. It even predated the creation of the Asante kingdom.
Ayikuma Tieku (Teiko) Baah, the son of the Asante, Ofori Ankama ruled Ga from 1700-1733 and defeated Akwamu in 1730 for Ga to regain its independence after 50years (1680-1730) of Akwamu domination.Most significantly, Ayikuma created a new dynasty and royal house, "Ajemankese or Agyemankese We." Did his Asanteness have anything to do with the choice of name of Ajemankese? I strongly believe so. Technically, with the establishment of Ajemankese, Tuŋma died. What's the significance of this transition?
Gamɛi like saying, "Okaikoi cursed Ga before he died." What exactly did Okaikoi say? I have not read it in any book but my great grandmother, Osekua Richter told me that, the great king after realizing the betrayal and treachery of his Asere generals said, "anunyam baŋ Asere ŋɔɔ, shi moŋ gbɔi baaye Ga nɔ" to wit, glory (of the throne) would not come to Asere but rather strangers would rule Ga. Is Ayikuma Tieku Baah, the son of the Asante and his descendants, the strangers Okaikoi referred to? Think about it.
Ayikuma had four children or grandchildren of Ofori Ankama
1. Ofori Tibo succeeded his father 1733-1739
2. Tetteh Ahene Akwa succeeded his brother 1740-1782
3. Ode Oforiwa married from Piam
4. Momo Omedro married from Nai We.
Children of the children of Ayikuma or great grandchildren of Ofori Ankama
,
1. Ofori Tibo - I have not read about a son of his.
2. Teiko Tsuru succeeded his father Tetteh Ahene Akwa 1782-1787. Teiko started the Akropong We.
3. Sarbah Osepree aka Sarbah Akyem son of Ode and a man from Piam succeeded his cousin Teiko Tsuru 1788 -1801. So, not all from Piam are royals, only the descendants of Sarbah are. He didn't start a new We.
4. Amugi, son of Momo and a priest from Nai We Yaaboi succeeded his cousin, Sarbah from 1802 to 1812. Like his cousin Teiko Tsuru, he sharted a new line of succession Amugi We.
So by 1812, we had the main trunk of Ajemankese and tributaries of Akropong We, Amugi We, and the Sarbah line from Piam. All of these were descendants of Ashantenyo Ofori Ankama.
Taki Kome joined the royal houses only after the Katananso war. Kome is a typical Sakumo We name. How he came to be Ga Mantse is beyond the scope of this paper.
The present arrangement we have of two houses with 2 sub houses was a constitutional change made by Jaasetsɛ Nii Teiko Abonua II (Dr. CE Reindorf), son of Rev CC Reindorf, after the destoolment of Mantse Taki Kome II in 1962.
1. Ajemankese We - Amugi We as head, and Taki Kome as deputy.
2. Akropong We - Teiko Tsuru as head, and Piam as deputy.
I am writing this to educate those who have made it their daily chore to insult Asante at the least provocation that, they are using their left index finger to point to their father's house. All the kings on the coast from 1700 to the present (with the exception of Taki Kome) were and are descendants of Ashantenyo Ofori Ankama of Akrokerri. Whether Latse or Kelvin or Otoga, you are dealing with Ashantenyo sɛshibii. A Ga Mantse going to Kumasi to celebrate any occasion with an Asantehene should not raise any brows. We are one people. The relationship is over 300years and very deep. I believe that a united Ga and Ashante, the two centres of power can only make Ghana great and strong.
In the last Ga-Akwamu war of 1730, it was said that Akyem bought Ashante out of the war with 500 slaves. The slave story notwithstanding, Otumfuo Opoku Ware knew that Ayikuma Tieku Baah was a son of Ashantenyo Ofori Ankama and therefore would not fight his own relative. At that time, Ashante was at its imperial peak and would have won the war for Akwamu. Mind you, only 29years earlier in 1701, it was Akwamu that helped Ashante to defeat Denkyira to gain its independence. Ashante did not return the favour when Akwamu needed its help. La tsii fe nu, blood is thicker than water.
In 1740, Otumfuo return to Ga to sign Ashante's first ever treaty of Peace, Friendship and Solidarity with Ga Mantse Tetteh Ahene Akwa, a grandson of Ofori Ankama of Asante.
Asante fought everybody except Ga until something happened in 1824 that led to the Katamanso war of 1826.
Tswa omanye aba.
Nii Amu Darko
President, OJA
18th May 2024
