FOCUS ON OKOMFO ANOKYE

[Kwame Nyame 64]

The Great Prophet Okomfo Anokye
By: Ellison, Kofi, (2005-10-31)

I was quite impressed by the article written by Kofi Akosah-Sarpong titled, 'Politicians, Spirituality And Development'; (Ghanaweb.com October 28), regarding how nations have been brought forth and sustained in governance, by the power of myth and religion; to provide this short account of Okomfo Anokye whose tactics the writer correctly places at the pinnacle and as an example ( most worthy of emulation), of how successful nation-builing and governance are articulated.

In spite of, or perhaps because of his generally acknowledged incredible achievements, the origin of Okomfo Kwame Anokye Frimpon Kotobre, popularly known as Okomfo Anokye, like his �death� is shrouded in myth and mystery. In 1921, Nana Kwadwo Apau, Chief of Agona and �direct descendant� of Okomfo Anokye recounted the ancestry to the English anthropologist R.S. Rattray, that curiously linked Okomfo Anokye�s ancestry to Otumfuo Osei Tutu I.

Similarly, at Awukugua, Akuapem in Ghana�s Eastern Region, there are �descendants� of Okomfo Anokye who are adamant that the Great Priest was born at Awukugua and �comes from Awukugua�. I have viewed a video tape of that statement from a friend who happens to be from Awukugua.

I will not go into the merits of either claim here. I will only say that had Okomfo Anokye remained at Awukugua, he would have been merely remembered as a great priest who climbed a tall palm tree with his sandals on; and who also carved a traditional game of Oware out of a huge slab of stone with his bare fingers. Both items are still extant in Awukugua, and draw endless visitors to the town.

However, by befriending Barima Osei Tutu at Akwamu (much closer to Awukugua, than Agona in Asante!), in the 1680's, Okomfo Anokye became �the catalyst through which the project of the (Asante) state in time (history) is given definition and launched on its way�, as one historian has eloquently put it.

One thing is certain and irrefutable about Okomfo Anokye. He was a friend of the then Barima Osei Tutu, and both of them lived at Akwamufie, the capital of Akwamu. Osei Tutu, a royal of the Oyoko lineage of Kwaman (now called Kumase) had been sent to the court of Nana Ansa Sasraku, the King of Akwamu to learn statecraft.

Upon the death of his uncle Obiri Yeboa, Osei Tutu was summoned to Kwaman to assume leadership of the Oyoko clan of Kwaman. Legend has it that upon realizing his mistake in allowing Anokye to travel with Osei Tutu, Ansa Sasraku sent his men after the group. With the spiritual support of Okomfo Anokye, Osei Tutu was able to turn away their pursuers. Thus, began the legend of Okomfo Anokye, and the successes he attained together with Osei Tutu.

Upon becoming the chief of Kwaman, Osei Tutu made Okomfo Anokye his chief advisor in all matters. Every military or diplomatic success was attributed to the magical powers of the great Okomfo Anokye. His fame extended far and wide, and the magical things he could do were innumerable. Among other incredible deeds, it was said that Okomfo Anokye fetched water in a basket, and yet the water did not spill! Okomfo Anokye�s house was without a roof, and yet it was sheltered from the rain!! Okomfo Anokye could dissect an ant and expose its intestines!!! (As a child, I recall singing the great deeds of Akomfo Anokye which had been turned into a song!).

As Okomfo Anokye�s fame and influence grew, so did the need to create a powerful kingdom that would unite the Asante, as a prelude to the unification of all the Akan. With the defeat of Denkyira, then the most powerful kingdom, by Asante-speaking forces under Osei Tutu, the idea of a new united kingdom of Asante became a reality. To this end, Okomfo Anokye invited the various independent and fragmented Asante Chiefs to an important meeting one Friday in Kumase, the new name that Okomfo Anokye gave to Kwaman.

The meeting was held at Dwabrem, which was situated at the present site of the Kumase Post Office, in 1701. Okomfo Anokye whose mystical powers and his role in the defeat of Denkyira had made him a recognized and unquestioning authority, told the Chiefs that he was about to command a Stool from Heaven, with the powers given to him by God. He added that the Stool will rest on the lap of one of the assembled Chiefs. He made the Chiefs agree and swear by Oath that the one upon whose lap the Stool from Heaven rested would become the King of the new Union.

It was a Mount Carmel (Bible's Old Testament), type of assembly. Here was Okomfo Anokye, impressing upon the assembled Chiefs and people that the powers he assumed from his God were more potent than whatever gods the individual Chiefs claimed to acquire their symbols of authority from. Lo and behold, the Stool commanded from Heaven landed safely onto the lap of Nana Osei Tutu. The Stool was laden in Gold, it arrived on a Friday; so it was given the splendid name Sika Dwa Kofi, or Friday�s Golden Stool. Every Asante child knows this story, and it is passed on from generation to generation.

Okomfo Anokye decreed that the Sika Dwa represented the collective well-being of all Asante, their unity, and strength; and it must never be defiled or taken away from them. The occupant of the Sika Dwa must be respected as their supreme ruler and authority. By prior agreement, all the Chiefs accepted Nana Osei Tutu Opemsuo I as the occupant of the Sika Dwa, and the first King of the new political union called Asante.

Okomfo Anokye warned that if the Golden Stool is ever captured, Asante would lose its power and disintegrate into chaos. This explains why in 1900, when the British colonial governor demanded the Golden Stool for the British monarch, Nana Yaa Asantewaa , without any prompting led Asante in a fight against Britain and her allies for two years --The Yaa Asantewaa War� to deny the British their sacrilegious request.

Okomfo Anokye created lesser Stools for all the other Chiefs. In this manner, no Stool in Asante could claim to have preceded the great Golden Stool. What political mastery and strategy! What political wisdom!! What symbol of unity and nationhood!!!

Just to underscore the historical fact: My own several times great-grandfather Obrempon Nana Firam Gyereba, (Asuonwunhene), was present at that momentous occasion. He was the main gunner or �Tufuo� protecting Otumfuo Osei Tutu I and Sika Dwa at that very moment of the birth of Asante at Dwabrem. He had accompanied Osei Tutu to Denkyira and Akwamu as one of his seven military guards. Okomfo Anokye created a Stool for him that very Friday evening as he did for all seven military guards who had served him in Denkyira and Akwamu. This led to the establishment of the powerful Kumase Ekonti Division, also known as the �Atuo Nson� or the Seven Gunners. The Bantamahene is the head of the Kumase Ekonti Division. According to the historical record, Okomfo Anokye was rewarded with the Stool of Agona by Nana Osei Tutu for services rendered to Asante.

Okomfo Anokye helped in instituting other symbols of authority and unity for Asante such as the annual Odwira festival, at which observance, the Asantehene gave a state of the Union account to all Asante. The Odwira served to rekindle the spirit of belonging among all Asante and a dedication to serve Asante better the coming year.

Okomfo Anokye was also a great Law-Maker and Law-Giver. He is reputed with giving Asante a set of codes known as �the Okomfo Anokye Seventy-Seven Laws�. It covered everything from birth and child rearing; observance of puberty rites; sexual relations; installation of Chiefs; the governing of the nation; to death and burial rites. Even today, in Asante, whenever a grandmother advises that something is a taboo, the grandmother is unwittingly referring to one of Okomfo Anokye�s codes of conduct. Such was the political and legal acumen of the great Akomfo Anokye.

Given his supernatural powers and achievements which are still visible today, and validated by the pomp and pageantry of Asante; as well as the entrepreneurial spirit of Asantefuo; Okomfo Kwame Anokye Frimpon Kotobre could not be expected to die a natural death! Death could not conquer him. Legend has it that the Great Priest left specific instructions to his nephew and eventual successor as Chief of Agona, Kwame Siaw Anim. The instructions were that the Great Priest would be traveling in the spirit world for Seven days, after falling into a deep trance, to search for a cure for Death, after which he would re-enter his human form. During the course of the seven-day waiting period, the nephew, impatient to inherit the Stool and all the wealth accumulate by his uncle Okomfo Anokye; pronounced his uncle dead, and presided over a �noisy funeral�; as the historian T.C. McCaskie eloquently puts it in his book �State and Society in Pre-colonial Asante�.

During the course of the funeral, as related by McCaskie, Okomfo Anokye in his human form appeared at the outskirts of the town. He met a hunter from Gyamase (a nearby town), who upon the Great Priest�s enquiry as to the commotion at Agona answered that a greedy nephew of Okomfo Anokye had disobeyed his uncle�s instructions and had pronounced the Great Priest�s death, hence all the commotion at the funeral in Agona.

Okomfo Anokye revealed himself to the hunter, and gave him a medicine called �Nkontwima� for the hunter�s own prosperity. Okomfo Anokye also gave the hunter a message that he had found a cure for Death, but to tell the people of Agona and Asante that because of his nephew�s greed, the cure will be withheld from them forever! The lesson in this story is that calamity follows upon wilful disobedience of Okomfo Anokye�s instructions! This explains why in Asante traditional matters, every word and instruction given by the Great Priest are accepted as gospel. Further, claimants to Asante Stools legitimize their claim by appealing to the role of Okomfo Anokye thereof.

After the encounter with the hunter, the great Okomfo Anokye disappeared. Folks, Okomfo Anokye did not die, he simply disappeared, and that is what our history says! To this day, nobody can tell where that Okomfo Kwame Anokye Frimpon Kotobre was buried. Whatever Okomfo Anokye provided to the hunter is today part of the heirloom of the Chief of Gyamase.

The great things that Okomfo Anokye did are still extant for people to see: the Golden Stool, the buried Sword at the present Komfo Anokye Hospital in Kumasi; the palm tree he climbed with his footmarks still evident in the bowels of the tree; the Oware game carved out of a huge slab of stone with his bare fingers, at Awukugua; and numerous others, not least the pomp and pageantry of Asanteman.

Upon reflection, it is sad that of late some of our misguided Ghanaian Christian Pastors and other similarly misguided people, have taken to deriding the achievements and personality of Okomfo Anokye as idolatry and anathema. It is this sad reality due to the colonization of the African mind that concerns me. In every corner of the globe, people respect their tradition and culture in spite of so-called �modernity�. Other cultures still regard similar feats as the gospel truth. To wit: Moses received Ten Commandments from Heaven and resulted in Judaism; a virgin birth of Jesus resulted in Christianity; Mohamed�s vision led to Islam; think about Buddha and Buddhism; or Hinduism and its prophets; in the United States, Joseph Smith had a �vision� in the 1820's in New York and that led to the birth of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints or Mormons. Examples are legion. It is only Africans who tend to undermine and disrespect their own culture while hanging on to the �truths� of received ideas from foreign lands.

I have never heard a white Christian Pastor condemn Julius Caesar or any of the Roman and Greek gods. Rather, the collapsing temples of Greek and Roman �idolatry� are promoted as national treasures, visited by Popes, Cardinals, Pastors, Christians and countless tourists. I wonder if one cannot be an African Christian, and yet remain respectable of what his ancestors accomplished, just as Europeans seem to have done. Why should some African Christians view Chieftaincy and its regalia as idolatrous, when the white missionaries who converted Africans to Christianity were sent to do that job with the blessings of their Queens and Kings? Okomfo Anokye never met any Christian missionary, black or white. He accomplished his task by his God-given talents. In the least, we must revere him, and in so doing show respect to ourselves and to our customs and to our tradition.

[Kwame Nyame 64]

Most pre-independent Ghana/African societies' progress, in the same vein, before the continent's encounter with the colonialists, were driven by their leaders spirituality. When the key creator of the Asante Empire, Okomfo Anokye, the legendary high priest, brought together disparaging and acrimonious families, clans, tribes and ethnic groups to form the Asante Empire (a superb development feat), he did so with high level of spirituality, unwavearing vision and enlightenment untainted by the colonial concept of God and the so-called modern day confusing spiritual/religious propagandistic big talk. In fact, Okomfo Anokye and other long lists of indigenous leaders/politicians who created the various ethnic nation-states prior to British colonialism could be a study or meditation by Ghana's current politicians/leaders as a way of spiritualising themsleves in Ghana's progress so as to "remain focused, selfless and dedicated to the national cause and demonstrate the political will to take decisions that would bring about economic prosperity," as Dr Michael Ntumy indicated.

Part of the reasons why Ghanaian leaders/politicians have not been able to enlighten the develop process path holistically and have consistantly projected confusion and some "darkness" is that they have increasingly been drawn to the negative, dark, irrational spirituial aspects of Ghanaian spirituality such as juju-marabou, witchcraft and the Pull-Him/Her-Down-for-me syndrome. This has darkened their development process vision and thinking, making most of them heartless and wicked, dishonest, deceitful, stupid, liars, unfocused, selfish and having a weak sense of progress. On the other hand, aside from Okomfo Anokye and his groups who used their spirituality to develop their society, some modern Ghanaian leaders/politicians are known to have used their spiritual development to focuse on progress. Ghana's first President Kwame Nkrumah is openly known for his strong ability to selflessly focus on Ghana's progress was driven by his high metaphysical foundation.

Source:Akosah-Sarpong Kofi

[Q' lypse]

Nice..

In spite of, or perhaps because of his generally acknowledged incredible achievements, the origin of Okomfo Kwame Anokye Frimpon Kotobre, popularly known as Okomfo Anokye, like his �death� is shrouded in myth and mystery. In 1921, Nana Kwadwo Apau, Chief of Agona and �direct descendant� of Okomfo Anokye recounted the ancestry to the English anthropologist R.S. Rattray, that curiously linked Okomfo Anokye�s ancestry to Otumfuo Osei Tutu I.

for s second I thought this was my grandfather in London. But it is, well, that was his father. I can't tell you the number of stories Lawyer Apau, my grandfather in London told me about the history the Asante kingdom and Komfo Anokye. He told me several stories about his late father, Nana Kwadwo Apau, the King of Agona. The king of Agona now is Nana Berko, my mother's unlce.

Just before I left London, he came to visit and my grandfather made damn sure that I see him. It was that important since I am directly related to him plus, I could the next heir (well, if I stay away from white women, Asian women etc ). The family is now looking at one of my brothers. I am too far away to learn about traditions and chieftancy. The last time I met Nana Berko (1998), he wasn't the king yet. He had come to South Africa for some business I think....

I am a descendant of the great Komfo Anokye. The family has a long family tree going back to the 1600s. I think it starts from Komfo Anokye's mother. This family tree has been approved by the the Asantehene (the present Asante king).

During the course of the funeral, as related by McCaskie, Okomfo Anokye in his human form appeared at the outskirts of the town. He met a hunter from Gyamase (a nearby town), who upon the Great Priest�s enquiry as to the commotion at Agona answered that a greedy nephew of Okomfo Anokye had disobeyed his uncle�s instructions and had pronounced the Great Priest�s death, hence all the commotion at the funeral in Agona.

When I was young and used to visit my hometown Agona during school holidays, I would often hear this story. Sometimes on our way to the forest with my late grandmother (Maame Serwah), she would point to the place (which was just a stone throw away from the footpath we took to her farm) where Komfo Anokye met the hunter to ask what is going on in town. Wow, this is some deep shi.t. Kwame thanks for this piece man.

Upon reflection, it is sad that of late some of our misguided Ghanaian Christian Pastors and other similarly misguided people, have taken to deriding the achievements and personality of Okomfo Anokye as idolatry and anathema. It is this sad reality due to the colonization of the African mind that concerns me. In every corner of the globe, people respect their tradition and culture in spite of so-called �modernity�. Other cultures still regard similar feats as the gospel truth. To wit: Moses received Ten Commandments from Heaven and resulted in Judaism; a virgin birth of Jesus resulted in Christianity; Mohamed�s vision led to Islam; think about Buddha and Buddhism; or Hinduism and its prophets; in the United States, Joseph Smith had a �vision� in the 1820's in New York and that led to the birth of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints or Mormons. Examples are legion. It is only Africans who tend to undermine and disrespect their own culture while hanging on to the �truths� of received ideas from foreign lands.

I have never heard a white Christian Pastor condemn Julius Caesar or any of the Roman and Greek gods. Rather, the collapsing temples of Greek and Roman �idolatry� are promoted as national treasures, visited by Popes, Cardinals, Pastors, Christians and countless tourists. I wonder if one cannot be an African Christian, and yet remain respectable of what his ancestors accomplished, just as Europeans seem to have done. Why should some African Christians view Chieftaincy and its regalia as idolatrous, when the white missionaries who converted Africans to Christianity were sent to do that job with the blessings of their Queens and Kings? Okomfo Anokye never met any Christian missionary, black or white. He accomplished his task by his God-given talents. In the least, we must revere him, and in so doing show respect to ourselves and to our customs and to our tradition.

I can only say one thing, its called slave mentality.

[Kwame Nyame 64]

Hi Qlypse,
What l put here is a start.My plan is to dev. this topic to the point on covering a good portion on what can be known and said about Anokye Komfuo,the great medicine man,king maker,law maker,nation builder and visionary.
l'm hoping to attract good contributors as l can't do this alone.
Thanks for you contribution.But more is needed.Get hold of your old folks and squeeze as much info from them as possible.
l'm visiting Ghana early next year and one of my missions is to get info on our history and culture from a few remaining old wise heads in my village.l'm armed with a recorder.

Here is a little piece l found on the subject of Okomfo Anokye and the golden stool.
Back in 2006 a forumer suggested that the miracle of the golden stool shld be taken out of our history books and put into children's bedtime stories.
And here is your(Qlypse) reply to him........

"
Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2006 9:37 am Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Its funny how we accept and embrace these Europeans (in other words 'THE CHRISTIAN TRADER' or the white Chritsian master/Jewish and their myths about our(humans) existence and these outdated so called Jewish miracles without questions and ignore or stupify our own culture or stories told by our ancestors. How this race is lost unbeliveable, its beyond understanding. We must get rid of Komfo Anokye's stories from our history books and keep the slave masters stories right or we must replace Komfo Anokye's stories with Christopher Columbus Adventures, yes? I bet you are probably one of those black people Malcom X would call Uncle Toms. Would do anything for the Christian Trader, would trust somebody who landed on his continent with Bibles and rifles and enslaved millions of his people and told him his religion is the ONE.
Source:Qlypse

l bet you can't remember this.
One interesting point l wld like to make is this.Lets assume the story of the golden stool was not true.lt still will take a genuis and visionary to create such a myth knowing the significance of the golden stool and the creation of a Kingdom.
This is what makes Okomfo Anokye great.
And to know that this great son of our land did all he did possibly without outside(European) religious or cultural comtamination makes it even more important to honour him(Anokye Komfuo)

There more to come later
Love and Respect
Kwame Nyame

[Q' lypse]

Hi Qlypse,
What l put here is a start.My plan is to dev. this topic to the point on covering a good portion on what can be known and said about Anokye Komfuo,the great medicine man,king maker,law maker,nation builder and visionary.
l'm hoping to attract good contributors as l can't do this alone.
Thanks for you contribution.But more is needed.Get hold of your old folks and squeeze as much info from them as possible.
l'm visiting Ghana early next year and one of my missions is to get info on our history and culture from a few remaining old wise heads in my village.l'm armed with a recorder.

Here is a little piece l found on the subject of Okomfo Anokye and the golden stool.
Back in 2006 a forumer suggested that the miracle of the golden stool shld be taken out of our history books and put into children's bedtime stories.
And here is your(Qlypse) reply to him........

"
Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2006 9:37 am Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Its funny how we accept and embrace these Europeans (in other words 'THE CHRISTIAN TRADER' or the white Chritsian master/Jewish and their myths about our(humans) existence and these outdated so called Jewish miracles without questions and ignore or stupify our own culture or stories told by our ancestors. How this race is lost unbeliveable, its beyond understanding. We must get rid of Komfo Anokye's stories from our history books and keep the slave masters stories right or we must replace Komfo Anokye's stories with Christopher Columbus Adventures, yes? I bet you are probably one of those black people Malcom X would call Uncle Toms. Would do anything for the Christian Trader, would trust somebody who landed on his continent with Bibles and rifles and enslaved millions of his people and told him his religion is the ONE.
Source:Qlypse

l bet you can't remember this.

. I couldn't believe I wrote that. Damn, 2 years ago I was still all up in there huh?

[power256]

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[quophi aletse]

so kwame how is the research coming.....my dad told me about this but most of it u have hit on...... nice thread still....

[Kwame Nyame 64]

so kwame how is the research coming.....my dad told me about this but most of it u have hit on...... nice thread still....

Hi Aletse,
l've got some more stuff but held back because of lack of interest.l don't like one sided cut and paste style.
l will post them when a healthy discussion is running.
You see,l try with appetizers,prompt a debate and get stuck into it.This is how l learn on this forum.
Sometimes you read new stuff on the forum and go back to revise your research findings;adding and taking out stuff.
There are guys sitting on "apo".You have to hustle them to get it.
More later bro!

[Q' lypse]

So Kwame, what happened to Focus on Jesus thread?

[Kwame Nyame 64]

[quote="Q' lypse"]So Kwame, what happened to Focus on Jesus thread?



Hi Qylpse,
Hmmmm!l stop posting it at the last minute.Like most times l ask myself 3 questions before acting.
ls it TRUE?;ls it NECESSARY?;and ls it KIND?
lf l don't get clear Yes for all three questions,l stop or hesitate.
l will post the material on Jesus once l get the all clear
You see,l don't always follow these sound principle.But the times l do,l find out l make less mistakes,less opposition and less trouble.Basically l mean,l create less KARMA.
l hope you do understad my point here.
By the way,what is stopping you from starting a topic on Jesus.l doubt if you don't get willing contributors.
Whiles researching Jesus,l kept asking myself why l was doing it anyway.
Why should a non Christian bother with researching Jesus?
l also found out in the end that l knew very little about the spiritual giant and great servant of God.
Kwame Nyame

[Succinct]

this is exactly the kinds of things that a ghana religions forum should be discussing...and not the diameter of the nose of a white god

[Kwame Nyame 64]

this is exactly the kinds of things that a ghana religions forum should be discussing...and not the diameter of the nose of a white god

Over to you then,Joe Lartey

[Kwame Nyame 64]

THE MAKING OF THE ASANTE KINGDOM

The death of Otumfuo Opoku Ware II the Asantehene (King of Asante, Ghana), has focused local and international attention on Asante. That the international media would deem it fit to inform their readers, viewers, and listeners of Otumfuo’s passing, and emphasize the history of Asante is significant. It was not long ago that the very idea of African history was scoffed at by the international community. As recently as 1965, Hugh Trevor-Roper, then Regius Professor of history at Oxford University dismissed the very notion of African history as being nothing more than the study of the unrewarding gyrations of barbarous tribes. He was not alone in denying Africa any past worthy of consideration, let alone of serious study.

Asante belies this patently racist claim that Africa before the arrival of Europeans was a savage place bereft of civilization and human development. Indeed Asante was last in a line of powerful Akan kingdoms such as Akwamu, Akyem and Denkyira. The wealth of Asante was primarily based on the gold trade with the Europeans on the coast.

Stanley M. Elkins, an American scholar had this to say on the ingenuity of the Asante: "a meaningful comparison between such a society and those of medieval Europe would be difficult, but the political federation of the Asantis, their traditional constitution, their tax and revenue structure, and their military system - a system that enable them to wage extended campaigns with armies as large as thirty or forty thousand - entitles one to argue that they must have had an institutional life at least as sophisticated as that of Anglo-Saxon England”.

David Kimble, an English historian has added: “Asante could be said to be the nearest approximation to a modern nation (in Africa) that was reached independently of European influences.”

The Asante state which emerged in the central part of modern Ghana in the latter part of the 17th century as a union of a few Akan clans clustered around Kumasi in the central part of modern Ghana, dominated the politics and trade of the Gold Coast (now Ghana), from about 1690 until it was finally defeated by the British in 1901!

John K. Fynn, a Ghanaian historian, has pointed out the greatness of asante succinctly: the history of the Gold Coast in the 18th and 19th centuries is largely the history of the consolidation and rise of the Asante Kingdom and its relations with the neighbouring african and European peoples.

Osei Tutu Opemsoo is generally acknowledged in both literary records and oral traditional accounts as the founder of Asante and the first asantehene. It was under him that Asante attained the status of a full fledged, sovereign nation. With the assistance of his Chief Priest Okomfo anokye, Osei Tutu instituted political and constitutional measures which have since formed the cornerstone of Asante well-being.

The most important of these institutions was the Golden Stool which Okomfo anokye conjured from heaven at a gathering of all asante cheifs. Okomfo anokye decreed that only the king of kumasi could ascend to the Golden stool, thereby making Osei tutu and his descendants the leaders or kings of Asante. The Chief Priest also decreed that the Golden stool or Sika Dwa Kofi was “ the embodiment of the soul of the new Asante nation.” If the Golden stool is ever captured, asante would lose its power and disintegrate into chaos, Okomfo anokye warned.

Thus, the Golden Stool legitimized the power of the Kumasihene who became asantehene. The Golden stool also filled an ideological vacuum and served as a unifying national idea, an ideal to live by, and a catalyst in stabilizing the nascent kingdom. Having asked all the chiefs to throw away their stools, their insignia of power and office, Okomfo Anokye then created the silver Stool for the hitherto most senior king, the Mamponhene (king of Mampon), Who acts as Asantehene but never succeeds to the Golden stool! Okomfo Anokye then proceeded to create new and lesser stools for other Chiefs!

Other measures instituted to ensure the stability of asante included the Odwira festival, which rekindled the spirit of nationalism and oneness; the Asante Constitution; the Great Oath of Asante (Ntamkese); and the Asantemanhyiamu (Asante Parliament). These institutions imbued the Asante with a sense of patriotism and a determination bordering on missionary zeal to accomplish any task in the name of the Golden stool. With powerful and able successors such as Opoku ware Katakyie I, Osei Kwadwo Okoawia, and Osei Bonsu, Asante was at the zenith of its power and strength by 1807. There was order, peace, accountability and good governance.

However, the rise and consolidation of the asante empire proved to be a thorn in the flesh of the Europeans in the coastal areas of Ghana. The European country that did not take kindly to the rise of Asante was Britain who also claimed the coastal region as her own sphere of influence. From 1807 to 1900, asante armies fought numerous small and large battles against the British. In several of these battles, asante was the clear victor. However, the combination of better arms and the recruitment of local Africans and others from as far away as lagos (Nigeria), the west Indies, and Sikhs from India, into the british war effort rendered any long-term asante opposition rather futile.

The decisive battle was fought in 1874. The British were led by sir Garnett Wolseley. The “Sagrenti” War, so named after the Asante rendition of the British general’s name, precipitated the final break up of the Asante Empire. With British encouragement, the vassal states asserted their independence and were put together as the British Colony of the Gold Coast.

Source(l googled this piece.l'll try and get the source later.Apologies)

Kwame Nyame

[Kwame Nyame 64]

Hi Opiamensa,
We started this topic early this year.lt will be nice to add your bit to it.l think it will be nice to start another discussion along these lines.
Kwame

[OPIAMENSA]

Kwame:
Your post makes my point. We must not allow ourselves the luxury of limiting the value of Okomfo Anokye's dealings with the creator to one post. In so doing we run the risk of becoming unwitting participants in the colonisation of our religions. We have to learn to stop selling ourselves short and begin to beat the drum of self-worth

The presence of Sikadwa Kofi at Manhyia is too much evidence to resign this giant of an African Godman to one post. The evidence that lives in Awukugua must not be allowed to collect historical dust. In fact, our schools and universities MUST study Okomfo Anokye. We MUST build a religion around this Godman whose unique deeds are there for all to see. We cannot assign him just one post on Ghanaweb.

It is ironic that a religion and tourist industry have been built around the Jewish Godman called Jesus while we are only too happy to remove Okomfo Anokye from school curriculum. A close look will reveal that most of the achievements of Jesus had been performed by other Godmen before he was born. Okomfo Anokye's achievements are unique to him and him only.

The Ashanti nation must take the lead in transforming this unique historical figure before the misguided christians who rule Ghana consign Okomfo Anokye to historical wilderness and academic exile.

Long Live Okomfo Anokye and Asanteman!! Long Live Ghana!!!

[Kwacool21]

Kwame:
Your post makes my point. We must not allow ourselves the luxury of limiting the value of Okomfo Anokye's dealings with the creator to one post. In so doing we run the risk of becoming unwitting participants in the colonisation of our religions. We have to learn to stop selling ourselves short and begin to beat the drum of self-worth

The presence of Sikadwa Kofi at Manhyia is too much evidence to resign this giant of an African Godman to one post. The evidence that lives in Awukugua must not be allowed to collect historical dust. In fact, our schools and universities MUST study Okomfo Anokye. We MUST build a religion around this Godman whose unique deeds are there for all to see. We cannot assign him just one post on Ghanaweb.

It is ironic that a religion and tourist industry have been built around the Jewish Godman called Jesus while we are only too happy to remove Okomfo Anokye from school curriculum. A close look will reveal that most of the achievements of Jesus had been performed by other Godmen before he was born. Okomfo Anokye's achievements are unique to him and him only.

The Ashanti nation must take the lead in transforming this unique historical figure before the misguided christians who rule Ghana consign Okomfo Anokye to historical wilderness and academic exile.

Long Live Okomfo Anokye and Asanteman!! Long Live Ghana!!!

Agreed, Okomfo Anokye was a fascinating man and he must be studied.

For those who are interested Dr. A.A Antwi wrote a great book on the lives of Okomfo Anokye and Osei Tutu.

The most fascinating thing I learned from Dr. Antwi's book was that Okomfo Anokye worshipped the Creator directly and not through the gods. Although he did create gods, he never served them matter of fact he put other priests in charge of them. I wonder why? Did he do that to fulfill the selfish desires of man?

All in all Okomfo Anokye was a revolutionary, he attempted to turn right side up the environment he was living. Life from the Akan perspective is to fulfill our destiny, Okomfo Anokye created a foundation that would allow us to do so.

[General Lucifer]

Gullible Born-again Ghanaians loath any idea of traditional worship through the African Akomfo prophets. These ancient medicine men and prophets have served as intermediary between God/gods and the Blackman for thousands of generations before the advent of the infectious Christian doctrine of dependability on a Savior-God for quality of life.

(I must say that it is not the worship of Gods that i am concern;it is the message that the problems of the blackman is sokved by 24/7 prayers,going to church 3 times a week,donating a tenth of your monthly wage to a God, begging God to keep the devil at bay; these and other similar self- defeating doctrines are at the core of my concern.)

Despite the failure of these christian doctrines of dependability on a God for ones well-being, advocates still continue to propagate not only the so-called good news but engage in the exploitation of the ignorant masses using the name of their christian deities.

In contrast to the self-proclaimed biblical Godmen of today, the Akomfo prophets of old,encouraged self-reliance,unity,respect of good traditional values,self-worth and the like. They did not tell their people they are filthy sinners and did not exploit their high position for personal gain. History tells us our forefathers,through the guidance of Akomfo, were morally superior than the folks of our christianity-infested age.

Now Isn't Black Africa,while rich in resources, the poorest continent on earth. If anything,the so-called good news of salvation and riches, preached by their money- hungry pastors, has made most christianity- infested africans more dependable on a God and hence unable to find ways to come out of their problems;
The Blackman had lost his creative spark.He is more into time wasting religiousity than productive creative pursuits hence his poor state of affairs. The ancient Africa priesthood promoted doctrines of self-reliance and can- do attitude.

No amount of prayers or worship of a God can lift him up unless the God-worshiping Blackman becomes wise enough to change his thinking about life and Gods. Sadly, this change isn't likely to happen; It is in the interest of money-making pastors to push worshipers deeper into the darkness of ignorance.

The western countries,while wisely and cautiously religious, are more able to solve their problems; they do not believe time-wasting worship related activities like 24/7 prayer sessions, casting out witchcraft,going to church every Sunday and giving a tenth of your sweat money to a God are the answers to their challenges.

Iit all comes to using your natural talents and skills effectuvely.It has nothing to do with a God since most non-God worships countries have excel in solving their own problems and enjoying a better quality of life far more than their bible-thumping counterparts in sub-saharan Africa.

[Kwacool21]

(I must say that it is not the worship of Gods that i am concern;it is the message that the problems of the blackman is sokved by 24/7 prayers,going to church 3 times a week,donating a tenth of your monthly wage to a God, begging God to keep the devil at bay; these and other similar self- defeating doctrines are at the core of my concern.)

Despite the failure of these christian doctrines of dependability on a God for ones well-being, advocates still continue to propagate not only the so-called good news but engage in the exploitation of the ignorant masses using the name of their christian deities.

In contrast to the self-proclaimed biblical Godmen of today, the Akomfo prophets of old,encouraged self-reliance,unity,respect of good traditional values,self-worth and the like. They did not tell their people they are filthy sinners and did not exploit their high position for personal gain. History tells us our forefathers,through the guidance of Akomfo, were morally superior than the folks of our christianity-infested age.

Now Isn't Black Africa,while rich in resources, the poorest continent on earth. If anything,the so-called good news of salvation and riches, preached by their money- hungry pastors, has made most christianity- infested africans more dependable on a God and hence unable to find ways to come out of their problems;
The Blackman had lost his creative spark.He is more into time wasting religiousity than productive creative pursuits hence his poor state of affairs. The ancient Africa priesthood promoted doctrines of self-reliance and can- do attitude.

No amount of prayers or worship of a God can lift him up unless the God-worshiping Blackman becomes wise enough to change his thinking about life and Gods. Sadly, this change isn't likely to happen; It is in the interest of money-making pastors to push worshipers deeper into the darkness.

I agree that the answer isn't just prayer or being in a holy facility, but it's about going through a transformation process. Prayer without consciousness is empty.

Some of our Pastors and Akomfos are exploiting our natural desire for instant gratification. I remember driving my wife's car and listening to a sermon she had playing, and the Pastor advised the congregation that the next time they go to the bank they should bypass the bank teller and pray straight to the vault so that the vault doors open up to them. Furthermore the Pastor prayed that everyone in the church will get a BMW. Not surprisingly the applauses were amazing. Personally those are things I dont pray for but to each and his own.

There are just as many shallow Akomfos as there are Pastors. The key thing is that you mentioned the Akomfos of old, because the ones I've experienced aren't any different than the con artist Pastors we have roaming around our country. I've seen more Akomfos divide families than unite.

Reading the excerpt of Kwasi Bempong's thesis opened my eyes, we're getting cheated spiritually and those who have the wisdom and insight of our traditional spirituality are dying, it's truly a barbarous magnificence.

I believe we need to revisit the old philosophy,our God wasn't thirsty for blood, witch hunting, flare or money it was about turning the world right side up, it's about fulfilling our God given mission.