ANONOMSAHENE STOOL HISTORY The Anonomsahene belongs to the Gyaase division or clan of the king. He swears oath of allegiance to Asantehene w...
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| ANONOMSAHENE STOOL HISTORY |
The Anonomsahene belongs to the Gyaase division or clan of the king. He swears oath of allegiance to Asantehene with the Ahwihwibaa sword a sword of less significance than the Mponponsuo sword.
The Anonomsahene is the chief responsible for the pouring of drink into the Asantehene’s cup, or glass, for the pouring of libation on the Sika Dwa Kofi (Golden Stool). It is said that in the old days the cup used by Asantehene for the ancestral worship, or pouring of libation, was made of pure silver.
The drinks used on such ceremonial occasions were contained in bottles. The stool of Anonomsahene is said to have been created by Asantehene Nana Osei Bonsu Panin and confer Baffuor as the title for the occupant of the Anonomsa stool.
Anonomsa stool was blessed by the king before he left for the Gyaman war, where Adinkra, the Gyaman king, was captured and beheaded. It is said that the war was a desperate one. Adinkra's head was sent to Kumasi.
Apau, the son of Adinkra, was also captured and sent to Kumasi as a prisoner of war, and given to the Adumhene. He became a vagabond and died a natural death. The Anonomsa stool is said to have been created by Asantehene Nana Osei Bonsu Panin prior to the Gyaman war with Adinkra. Nana Bonsu created the stool in order that a plentiful supply of drinks might bring him a quick victory.
The first chief of the stool was called Kwaku Dweben. He went to the Gyaman war against Adinkra, immediately after the creation of the stool. It is also stated categorically that he went to the Asante Fante war in 1807 at Anomabo, where for the first time in the annals of Asante history the king, Nana Osei Asibe, alias Osei Tutu Kwame, placed the state sword into the sea as a sign of victory, and thus won the traditional appellation "Bonsu", meaning "destroyer of the sea".
It is said that Kwaku Dweben was succeeded on the stool by his nephew, Kwaku Gyekyi, in the reign of Nana Osei Yaw Akoto.
He went to the Akatamansu war and returned home unscathed.
Nana Kwaku Gyekyi was succeeded on the stool by Kwadwo Odae, a son of the stool, in the reign of Nana Kwaku Dua Panin also known as Nana Agyemang Opambuo. It is said that at this time there was no ripe royal of the stool, and consequently a son was made to occupy the stool.
As a result, the stool Kwadwo Odae was not yet been blackened. It is said that this chief was on the stool during the reign of Asantehene Nana Kofi Karikari, and died in the reign of Asantehene Nana Mensah Bonsu. Although he died on the stool, his stool was not blackened. Kwadwo Odae was succeeded on the stool by Abutuakwa, who was also a son of the stool. It is said that there was as yet no ripe royal for the stool.
His stool was also not blackened as a result. He was on the stool before King Prenpeh I was taken to Seychelles. (He was enstooled prior to the first part of the reign of King Prempeh I.
Nana Abutuakwa was succeeded on the stool by Adu Gyamfi, another son of the stool, whilst King Prempeh I was in exile. It is said that he died on the very day that the trial of the desecration case against the Golden Stool began at Kumase.
Adu Gyamfi was succeeded on the stool by Kofi Nkunnkena, a grandson of the stool in the paternal sense. It is said that he was on the stool whilst King Prempeh I was still in exile. His stool, it is said, has not yet been blackened because he was not a true blood royal of the stool.
He was on the stool on the return of the king from exile. He was succeeded on the stool by Kofi Fofie, allegedly known to be a true royal and a descendant of the stool. He took the Oath of Allegiance with the Ahwihwibaa sword to Nana Sir Osei Agyemang Prempeh II.
He spent about twenty-seven (27) years on the stool. The Abusua or classificatory system of this stool is "Bosompra". Three chiefs, namely Nana Kwaku Dweben, Nana Kwaku Gyekyi, and Nana Kofi Fofie, are said to be the direct descendants of the stool.
Consequently, only The stools of Nana Kwaku Dweben and Nana Kwaku Gyekyi have as yet been blackened. After Kofi fofie many chiefs have ascended on the Anonomsa stool and the current Anonomsahene is Nana Yaw Diatuo.
By Kofi Frimpong (The Kingdom of Asante)
REFERENCES
Agyemang Duah J. & Ivor W. (1976). Ashanti Stool Histories. (Vol 1). Institute of African Studies; University of Ghana.
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