BANDA STOOL HISTORY: Banda is located in Bono region of Ghana with the traditional capital as Banda Ahenkro. Banda is located in Bono region...
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| BANDA STOOL HISTORY: Banda is located in Bono region of Ghana with the traditional capital as Banda Ahenkro. |
Banda is located in Bono region of Ghana with the traditional capital as Banda Ahenkro. Bandamanhene swears oath of allegiance to the Asantehene using the Mponponsuo State Sword. The royal stool of the Banda State is Sielongo stool.
It is a stool of matrilineal descendants of Petele and it belongs to the Oyoko clan.
The Nafana tribe, which people until the 18th century, during the reign of Asantehene Osei Bonsu Panin (1800-1824) asked for the assistance of the Nafana in a war waged against Fante. It is recounted that when the Nafana troops under the command of Mgono Wudulo arrived at Kumase for the battlefield, they played the “sabi” “Asafo” in Twi drums and danced throughout the night without going to bed.
They following day, the Adumhene who was the host of the Nafana enquired for the reason of the continuous play the previous night when the Asante Kingdom was preparing for war. He replied that it was the tradition and culture of the Nafana to ply on the ‘sabi’ drum and keep vigil by dancing to the music, until they reached the front.
Owing to the vigil, Asante from that period referred to the Nafana people in Twi expression as “w’anda” literally “insomnious people”. It is the expression which was been corrupted as Banda. Otherwise, the people were known and called by their language.
Sie Lɔngɔ Katoo is the name of the royal house located in Banda Ahenkro. Succession of the Paramount Stool was restricted to the descendants of the three sisters of Kralɔngɔ, the ancestral founder of Sie Lɔngɔ Katoo.
According to oral traditions, the ancestors of Banda left their homes, Kakala in the neighbouring of Jimini near Bontuku in the Eastern part of modern day Ivory Coast under the leadership of Kralɔngɔ. According to the oral tradition which led to their present location, the chief was Zie, the uncle of Kralɔngɔ so when Zie died, Kralɔngɔ was enstooled as the chief.
As custom had it, KralÉ”ngÉ” had to choose one of the dead uncle’s wives first, before any member of the royal family or other clansmen made their choice.
This has been an inherent practice event to this day among the Banda people. Now, before Kralɔngɔ could take the widow of his choice, a relative of Zie already had chosen one of the widows.
In consequence of this breach of custom, Kralongo refused to perform the funeral rites of his predecessor. He waited for about a week and the relatives of Zie said nothing about this matter.
This conduct revealed to him that even though his relation with the relatives of Zie was very close, yet they disfavour his kingship.
KralÉ”ngÉ” with the view of finding out the public opinion, left Kakala with his kinsmen and supporters in search of a new settlement, still the relatives of Zie didn’t dissuade the new chief of the action taken; as such he and his people settled and founded Tampe.
The ancient Tampe Township is farther west of the Banda hills and now included in the territory of modern day Ivory Coast.
The people were over crowded at Tampe. Kralɔngɔ therefore detailed his son in law Ghagha who was a skilled hunter to explore the Banda hills and beyond for a spacious uninhabited land. He returned and returned to Kralɔngɔ that he had discovered a suitable level site behind the chain of Banda Mountains. Following the statement, the chief and his people moved with his people to inhabit the spotted land in the region of Ghana.
This settlement was known as Bakala, south west of Banda Ahenkro at the base of the mountains. It is recalled that some subjects of Kralɔngɔ remained in Tampe under the leadership of Shiemba, a distant relative of Kralɔngɔ. The descendants of these people are dominant at Tampe to this day and have affinity with Banda including the Jinni and the indigenes of Bonkutu in Gyaman.
The Sampa led by Sienyono, separated together with the Werikye from the main Nafana at Tampe when Kralɔngɔ resolved to leave the place. It was Asante and Bono who call them Pantera, Fantra or Mfantera. According to oral sources, Sampa and Werikye people were the followers of Kralɔngɔ.
There was no arable land at Bakala owing nearness to the mountains. The people as a result, moved on and built Dadiase which is now Kabrono environs of Banda Ahenkro. The place was unoccupied at the time. Sometime later they came across most part of the land and killed some while a good number were captured and sold to slavery.
It was during the reign of Sielongo that he formed friendship with Nkoransahene Baffo Pim who father was the Asantehene, Nana Osei Tutu I. they came to know themselves during an expedition in the neighbourhood. Nana Baffo Pim had at the time succeeded his uncle Adu Denyina. It was said that his mother was taken in captivity in war and given in marriage to Nana Osei Tutu I.
An account is given that Baffo Pim led Sielongo to pay a courtesy call to Nana Osei Tutu I. Seilongo and his entourage armed themselves with arrows for any eventuality as tribal wars were incessant in those days. In fact, they had no knowledge of guns.
When the party arrived in Kumase, the Asantehene asked Baffo Pim from where he had brought the people. He replied that they were the Nafana. After the death of Sielongo, the Nafana people copied the Asante custom of blackening stool.
During the reign of Asantehene Nana Osei Kwadwo, he requested Banda to serve the Golden Stool but then chief of Banda Worosa refused and this led to a war between Asante and Banda where Nana Dadiesoabahene Nana Atobra Kwasi was the leader of the Asante army.
A fierce and deperate battle was fought. The Nafana and ally Nsawkaw chased out of the land the Asante troops who rested about 60 miles north of Kumase. This unhappy incident was reported to the Asantehene who ordered reinforcement to be sent to the battlefield under the Kumawumanhene.
Asante gained complete victory over Banda and they became a vassal state under Asante. Bandahene Worosa was beheaded and his head was brought his head to Kumase, several of them were perished.
Banda fought on side of Asante during the Fante war in 1807. After the war, the Adumhenehene reported to the Asantehene that during the height of the fight, the Bandahene Mgono Wulodwo retreated; which the action was tantamount to the violation of the oath sworn by him.
The Bandahene explained that the allegation was unfounded; that his helmet dropped and therefore turned to pick it. He expounded further that though many of his troops perished in the field, yet he pursued the fight to victory and had returned with his comrades.
The Asantehene accordingly found the accusation to be frivolous. Wulodwo introduced the short drum with the epigram “Kantamanto”. When Mgono Wulodwo was exonerated from the accusation, he declared the Asantehene Nana Osei Bonsu Panin that hence forth he would not have the Adumhene or his successors as host whenever at Kumase on official or private visit. The Asantehene as a result directed that the Bandahene was to the guest of the Bantamahene.
This course of change has been followed by successive chiefs of Banda. After the Fante war, Asantehene gifted Bandahene a palanquin for the first time since the successive chiefs of Banda rode on horse. Other gifts included ceremonial swords and a short drum.
The Banda State also took part in several wars for the Asante Kingdom like the Asante Gyaman in 1818.
Asante Banda relationship began during the reign of Nana Osei Tutu I and when Banda became a vassal state under Asante they have assisted Asante in various war of conquest because their unflinching loyalty to the Sika Dwa (Golden Stool).
Credits: Kofi Frimpong ( The Kingdom Of Asante )
Flyer Designed By: EO Ntiamoah ( The Kingdom Of Asante )
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REFERENCES
Ameyaw K. (1965) Tradition of Banda in traditions of Brong Ahafo. Institute of African studies, University of Ghana.
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