The History Of The Asantes

The Asantes moved in their family groups such as Manpong, Nsuta, Ejisu, Tafo, Bekwai, Juaben to make a new settlements. Because of the divisions

The History Of The Asantes 

The Asantes are the people found in the Ashanti Region. They speak Asante Twi and the celebrate Odwrira Festival.

Asante State was the biggest of the Akans States. The Asantes first settlers in the Bono ( Bono Manso ), Techiman and Gyaman and later in the area West of Lake Bosumtwi. The first capital of the Asante was Asantemanso.

The Asantes moved in their family groups such as Manpong, Nsuta, Ejisu, Tafo, Bekwai, Juaben to make a new settlements. Because of the divisions of the Asantes, they we defeated by the Dankyiras.

The leader of the Oyoko clan, then Obiri Yeboah, brought the Asantes together to form the Asante Kingdom.

Obiri Yeboah was killed by the people of Dormaa because of his increasing fame and power. When Osei Tutu was young, he was sent to Dankyira to serve the king and later he move to Akwamu.

At Akwamu, Osei Tutu made friends with the people of Akwamu and the Akwamu king, Ansah Sasraku, and Okomfo Anokye ( Kwame Frimpong Manso ) a wise traditional priest.

With the help of Ansah Sasraku and Okomfo Anokye, he defeated the people of Dormaa and kill their king because he killed his uncle.

Osei Tutu decided that he did not want to fight another war with his people. So, he did three ( 3 ) wise things to keep the people united.

1.= He built a capital for the Asante Kingdom, Kumasi.

2.= Okomfo Anokye used his magic to bring down the Golden Stool from the sky to the land on the knees of Osei Tutu. This was taken to mean that Osei Tutu was chosen by the gods to lead the Asante Kingdom.

3.= Osei Tutu introduce a common traditional festival for all the Asante people, Odwrira Festival.

After doing all these things, he attacked the Dankyira and defeated them, all Because he did not want to continue paying taxes to Denkyiria again.

He wanted Asantes traders to be able to travel direct to the coast to trade with the Europeans so, after the defeat of Denkyiria, Osei Tutu fought many wars and defeated many states like Waasa, Sefwi, Aowin, Assin, Twifo etc... and these States became part of the Asante Kingdom.

Osei Tutu was shot by the people of Akyems when he was crossing River Pra in his hammock. Opoku Ware ruled after Osei Tutu and he also continued the wars of Osei Tutu. He lead the Asantes to win many wars. He defeated Techiman.

Kusi Obodum ruled after Opoku Ware and he spent most of his time fighting civil wars with Opoku Ware’s brother, Daako, and his family.

Osei Kodwo succeeded Kusi Obodum when he became blind. It was during this time that troubles started between the Asantes and the Fantes. The main cause of the trouble was that the Asantes wanted to trade directly with the Europeans, while the Fantes wanted to be middlemen.

The British did not like the Asantes fighting their friends ( Fantes ). They therefore helped the Fantes to defeated the Asantes.

In 1900, the Asantes felt strong again and started another war called “Yaa Asantewaa War”.

The Asantes were lead by Yaa Asantewaa the Queen Mother of Ejisu.

The Asantes were completely defeated in this war and made part of the British Colony. That ended the Asante Empire and most of the states controlled by the Asantes became independent. “Asantehene” is the title of the Asante paramount Chief.

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