The Asante Agona Abusuapanin of Akyem Apedwa in the Abuakwa South municipality of the Eastern Region, Opanin Samuel Kweku Obeng, has hinted that the overlord of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin is not the allodia owner of Akyem Apedwa lands.
According to Opanin Obeng, all lands at Akyem Apedwa belong to the Denkyira Agona Clan, which are entrusted in the care of Apedwahene, who is considered as a Caretaker chief by tradition.
This is because even today, the Apedwa Chief is regarded as the descendant of the original Caretaker Chief, who did not take part in any war to own land and hence has no land for themselves.
“We still insist that all that large tract of land from the Apedwa Forest, descending to the Birim River and beyond the Densu River on the eastern boundary, through Kotoku, engulfing the Nyanowa Hills are the property of the Denkyira Agona and Asakyiri Clans”, he stressed.
“All other clans in Apedwa were given lands by the Denkyira Agona and Asakyiri Clans to farm and settle on, due to intermarriages and friendship.
So Apedwa lands have remained as such to date and at no time have these lands been transferred to Okyenhene by the Denkyira Agona and Asakyiri Clans”, he added.
The Asante Agona Abusuapanin of Akyem Apedwa made the remarks at a press conference organised by principal opinion leaders of Akyem Apedwa and Mankata family of Panpanso at the press centre in Accra last week, Tuesday.
The press conference was in response to a recent one held by a group of people calling themselves Okyeman Youth Association (OYA) on land issues within the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area.
According to OYA,Okyenhene is the immemorial allodia owner of all lands in Akyem Abuakwa, therefore, claim of ownership of 27,000 acres of lands acquired and sold to Koans Building Solutions by Mankata and Quansah families and Apedwa Stool are untenable.
But in his attempt to set the record straight, the Asante Agona Abusuapanin alleged that a letter signed by one Barima Yentumi Boaman, dated September 17, 2014 on behalf of Okyenhene authorised one Nana Yaw Opoku from Okyenhene’s Palace to enter into a joint negotiation with Apedwahene on one part and Nana Mankata Family on the other in principle to sharing the Panpanso lands.
“So, how come now, a representative of the Okyenhene’s Palace is alleging that the land belongs to the Okyenhene and has been stolen by the people of Apedwa ”, he asked.
He said Akyem Apedwa are proud of their heritage as Akyem and members of the Amantuomiensa of the Akyem Abuakwa State, where they respect the political leadership of Ofori Panin Fie.
“However, it is not disrespectful to state the truth that the Okyenhene is not the allodia title owner of Akyem Apedwa lands and that the present Okyenhene is the first, who is attempting to interfere with the legal interests of the people of Akyem Apedwa on their own lands.
“That it would not be out of place and a show of respect for Ofori Panin Fie when any piece or parcel of land is leased or sold for development purposes or the public good some of the monies accrued therefrom are paid to Ofori Panin Fie.
But this does not mean that Ofori Panin Fie must arrogate to itself the illegal sale of lands that do not belong to them”
He said all those persons who have bought or buying or leasing lands belonging to Akyem Apedwa or Panpanso and doing so directly from the Okyenhene or his agents or privies or workmen or servants have done so illegally or doing so illegally.
He has, therefore, advised the public to do due diligence and contact the true allodia title owners, the Denkyira Agona and Asakyiri Clans (for Akyem Apedwa lands) and the Abusuapanin of the Mankata Family and the Chief of Panpanso (for Panpanso lands).
According to him, except for those pieces or parcels of land with documentary proof that their ancestors have already sold out to individuals and organisations, all other lands remain the property of Akyem Apedwa and not Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council or Ofori Panin Fie.
Opanin Samuel Kweku Obeng further told the media that the Okyenhene being the political head of the respected Akyem Abuakwa State ought to advise all those persons who hold themselves out as land guards and operate under the canopy of Okyenhene’s Land Task Force to desist from acts of intimidation, threats and assaults on individuals and destruction of people’s properties or lands that belong to Akyem Apedwa and Panpanso.
He stated that the Okyenhene lacks the capacity to enter into any piece or parcel of land directly belonging to Akyem Apedwa and the Mankata Family without their express consent.
Opanin Obeng accentuated that they intend to challenge in court any assertion by the Okyenhene or Abuakwa Traditional Council or Ofori Panin Fie that any of themselves, jointly or severally, have any allodia interest in the lands at Akyem Apedwa and Panpanso.
Historical facts
Giving an historical background, the Asante Agona Abusuapanin of Akyem Apedwa stated that after the fall of the Denkyira Kingdom in 1701 at the hands of the Asante King Osei Tutu I, a Royal and one of the surviving Chiefs of the Denkyira Kingdom moved his loyalists, including elders and army southwards.
He continued that they settled at Breman, near present day Jukwa, in the Central Region.
He took with him his stool, his Chief Warrior, Kwasi Bosumtwi, his priest (Obosomfo) who was the carrier of his clan gods. His sisters, who followed him were Odobemaa (alias Obenewa), Anobea and Owiredua (who went missing in transit).
Opanin Samuel Kweku Obeng indicated that after a short stay, they moved from Breman eastwards and entered a relationship with a new deity, called Nana Obuor (alias Nana Obuor Kofi Fante), who travelled with them. They fought many battles until they reached a location they named Oda.
To him, since their clan name was Agona and they originated from Denkyira, they preferred to identify to other Agona Clans on their journeys and covered up their identity as Denkyiras.
From Oda, their deity urged them to move to present day Akyem Apapam and later to Oforidum (popularly known in present day Apedwa as “Foodum”), this was in 1709.
At Oforidum, the Akwamus, who were traders and a dominant fighting force settled on the banks of the River Anowa. On the instructions of their deities, the Denkyira Agona changed the name “Anowa” to “Bone”.
The military strategist for Denkyira Agona was Kwasi Bosomtwe, who on perceiving the threat posed by the Akwamus, led an attack on the Akwamus and drove them out of their location and took over their land and relocated them from Apedwa, this was in 1709.
Indeed, some of the landmarks of the bathhouses of the Akwamu Kings still remain as a historical relic at a location at present day Apedwa.
The root of the name of Apedwa is from “apԑ edwa”, to wit “where people loved to do business or do their marketing”, and the location was a popular market destination for Akwamu merchants.
The Asakyiri Clan were impressed at the bravery exhibited by the Denkyira Agona for defeating the Akwamus.
Consequently, the Asakyiri Clan entered into a strategic alliance with the Denkyira Agonas in their joint forces, thenceforth won many wars.
There was another war at Ogyadamu, which Kwasi Bosomtwe led and once again, the great military alliance held back an Asante invasion.
It was after this that the Okyenhene decided to reward the Denkyira Agona for their bravery, and therefore, asked the Asakyiri Clan to join the Denkyira Agona to form a new township at “Apԑ edwa”, which the Denkyiras had already captured from the Akwamus.
The right side of the new settlement was given to Nana Ohemen and he named it “Denkyira Breman”, to honour Denkyira Agona and to remember that the Denkyira Agona hailed from Abankeseeso and moved after the fall of Nana Ntim Gyakari to Breman, near Jukwa. To date, that area is still known as Breman.
The Denkyira Agona was given the Chieftaincy title but this did not go down well with the Asakyiri Clan, so part of the Asakyiri Clan broke away in protest to settle at Owiankyen mu, to be known later as WIRENKYIREN DADAMU, later moved to present day WirenkyirenAmanfrom (popularly known as Amanfrom).
Not long after this, another war broke out and the joint great alliance army was called upon to do battle and this time again, they were led by Kwasi Bosomtwe and they won the battle.
After the army returned home, Kwasi Bosomtwe was nominated by Nana Ohemen as Chief in waiting, after returning from a war for Ɔkyeman in 1734. Not long after his nomination, he was shot when he had gone to ease himself.
So when Nana Ofori Panin I, King of Akyem Abuakwa heard of the wounds from a gunshot, he went to visit his great warrior, Kwasi Bosomtwe at Apedwa.
It was Nana Ofori Panin I who placed a fresh cola nut in the palm of the great Kwasi Bosomtwe of the Denkyira Agona army, who died in the arms of Nana Ofori Panin I.
While dying, Kwasi Bosomtwe said “dabimo bԑ kae me” [dabiƆkyeman bԑ kae me]. When he died, the Okyenhene supervised his burial and called the place of the burial “mpԑniadae” to wit “resting place for a great man”.
The Denkyira Agona Clan suspected the Asakyiri Clan for conspiracy to shoot Kwasi Bosomtwe and this left a sharp rift between the two allies who nearly went to war. The Asakyiri in insinuation invented a tune on a talking drum to which sounds such as “wokukurukukuru a, wo ye kwa”, meaning “however you carry yourself it leads to nowhere”.
The Denkyiras also responded “dodoɔ yԑ dԑ” to wit “it is pleasant to be many” and “deԑ asoteteԑ yԑ tan” to wit “the rumours are ugly”.
After the passage of a few years, the Okyehene asked for a new Chief from Nana Ohemen who after consulting with the elderly women, agreed on a nominee who was not a direct descendant of the Denkyira Agona Clan.
He was, however, a member of another so-called Agonas whom the Okyehene had camped at Panor (near present day Kyebi) and decided to hand them over to Nana Ohemen for safe custody and settlement at Apedwa.
The man who was nominated named Gyԑkye was to be a caretaker Chief, and was to follow strict instructions; these instructions included the fact that he was to renew his mandate on an annual basis by carrying a live sheep across the back of his neck at the shrine of the Denkyira Agona Clan and the sheep would be slaughtered and its blood poured on his feet.
He would be given only one thigh of the sheep to cook for himself and his family. This was to appease the gods and to ask for the renewal of his mandate to be a Chief the following year.
It was agreed that, on his death, the Stool would be taken by Nana Ohemen and given to a descendant of the Denkyira Agona Clan as the true owner of the Stool.
In the absence of the caretaker Chief, the Queen mother was to perform the sheep carrying and slaughtering ritual.
The other instruction was that the lands acquired through conquest was not part of the inheritance of the caretaker Chief or his clan, but rather the Denkyira Agona and Asakyiri clans would continue to be the allodia title owners.
Indeed, this ritual has continued till this day and that means that whoever is Chief in Apedwa is not the allodia holder of lands in Apedwa.
The Asakyiri were given the Amankrado (Krontihene), to wit “the custodians of the land and second in command in the town”.
The Denkyira Agonahene would in the absence of the Chief, who on a yearly basis pays homage to the Denkyira Agona Abusuapanin takes over as Chief. Furthermore, whoever is elected as Chief of Apedwa, has to be elected by the Abusuapanin, Agonahene and the Queen mother.
Furthermore, the Agonahene of the Denkyira Agona is the last to perform his “ahwieyԑ” to signify that he is the owner of the Apedwa land and also his authority over the town (‘Opanindwarewie a, nansuo asa’, to wit “when the elderly complete taking their bath, it means there is no more water”).
Whenever the substantive Apedwahene attends a function in Apedwa and the Agonahene is already seated, the latter does not rise for the Chief whereas all other Clan Chiefs have to rise for the Chief; this signifies the authority of the Agonahene over the Apedwa Chief.
This is because even today, the Apedwa Chief is regarded as the descendant of the original caretaker Chief who did not take part in any war to own land and hence has no land for themselves.
Indeed, the Apedwahene’s land he farms on is traditionally land that belongs to the Denkyira Agona Clan.
We still insist that, all that large tract of land from the Apedwa Forest descending to the Birim River and beyond the Densu River on the eastern boundary through Kotoku engulfing the Nyanowa Hills are the property of the Denkyira Agona and Asakyiri Clans (attached herewith is a site plan).
All other clans in Apedwa were given lands by the Denkyira Agona and Asakyiri Clans to farm and settle on due to intermarriages and friendship.
So Apedwa lands have remained as such to date and at no time have these lands been transferred to Okyehene by the Denkyira Agona and Asakyiri Clans.
Responds by Apedwahene
The chief of Apedwa Osabarima Frimpong Manso responding to the aforementioned press conference told this reporter that it was a public exhibition of deceit and manufactured historical facts and gross impersonation which borders on outright criminality.
He explained that COP (rtd) Kwasi Nkansah is not the Krontihene of Akyem Apedwa neither is he a member of the council of elders of the Akyem Apedwa Stool and he should therefore be ignored.
According to him, at all material times the Apedwa stool has been a subject stool of the Ofori Panin within the Amantuomiensa section of the Benkum division of Akyem Abuakwa Traditional area.
He mentioned that Okyenhene holds primordial ownership and control of Akyem Abuakwa lands extending from the Panpanso River in the east to the neighborhood to river Pra in the west and from the Kwahu border in the precinct of Jejeti in the north to the Densu River in the south of Nsawam.
“Further to the above, the 2004 Akyem Abuakwa State Council Resolution on the grant of concessions and land allocations, reaffirmed the Akyem Abuakwa State Council declaration of 1918, to the effect that any land in Akyem Abuakwa before alienation should be known by Okyenhene and his consent obtained.
To this, he continued, that Akyem Apedwa just as all subject stool to Ofori Panin has never and can nerve be exceptional and, therefore, firmly support all statement issued by the State Council secretary of Okyeman Council in regard to this matter and share sentiment and concerns of the Okyeman Youth Association (OYA)
Besides the above, there is a more important issue of concern, which is the naked and selfish act of betrayal by persons who for petty monetary favours have not only sold their conscience, but even worse and heart-breaking form have stood against Okyenhene in favour of an alien interest.
“The claim that the Mankata family has transferred right of ownership of 27,000 acres has no documentary proof either at the Akyem Apedwa palace or Akyem Abuakwa State archives at the Ofori Panin fie.
“It might be necessary to reiterate that right does not imply the right of alienation. Any such claim is not only an intolerable assault to the integrity of Okyeman, but a clear issue of land theft that threatens the public peace and safety.”
He warned that all persons with prospective commercial interest and undertakings with the Mankata family with regards to Akyem Abuakwa lands do so at their own risk, adding that any person who seeks interest in Akyem Apedwa or any Akyem towns must first seek the consent of the chief, who shall provide guidance and established procedures and documentations.
