OYA responds to recent comments of leading persons representing the Ofori Panin fie

The purpose of this write-up is to set the records straight about a number of things:

(a) Distortions of historical facts, misrepresentation, and misconception concerning AKYEM APEDWA and PANPANSO LANDS, as well as lands purchased by KOANS from Panpanso; and

(b) A number of derogatory statements made by representatives of the Ofori Panin Fie and the Ɔkyeman Youth Association.

Those distortions and derogatory statements seek to suggest the following:

• That the Ɔkyehene is the allodial title holder of all lands within the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area and that no other Chief, Family, or individual has the right to sell or lease any land in the Traditional Area without his consent;

• That the Ɔkyehene claims that because he is the allodial title holder of all lands within the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area he alone has the right to sell or lease land within the Traditional Area;

• That the Ɔkyehene claims that he is the allodial title holder of all lands within the said Traditional Area because he acquired them through conquest and all other Chiefs, Families, and persons (natural or legal) who occupy lands in the Traditional Area are mere caretakers of the said lands, and therefore have no right of alienation;

• That sale of lands by our ancestors who had a right to alienate those lands under customary law and practice to the Mankata Family of Panpanso and some other persons was fraudulent.

Today, this press statement seeks to correct these wrong impressions and properly set the records straight.

The land from the Birim River behind the mountains (descending to Kyebi) to Nsawam with the River Densu as boundary to most parts of the eastern to Nsawam and the western side of the old road sharing boundary with the Apapam lands are lands, historically belonging to AKYEM APEDWA.

The Akwansrahene of the Ɔkyehene, Mr. Asiedu Bekoe, earlier this year, stood before a number of opinion leaders of Apedwa at a meeting at Danas Hotel, Apedwa, and told the opinion leaders that the people of Apedwa were slaves and therefore have no lands, and the Apedwa land belongs to the Ɔkyehene. This was in relation to a matter which is pending before a court of competent jurisdiction, and we will not want to pass a comment herein.

We deem those statements as coming from the mouth of ƆKYEHENE himself since according to the Akwansrehene he was representing the Ɔkyehene. What is disheartening is that, the Akwansrehene said this in the presence of Apedwahene and some of his elders.

We briefly comment on the history of Akyem Apedwa lands.

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. They settled at Breman, near present-day Jukwa in the Central Region. He took with him his stool, his Chief Warrior, Kwasi Bosumtwi, and his priest (Ɔbosomfo) who was the carrier of his clan gods. His sisters who followed him were Ɔdobemaa (alias Ɔbenewa), Anobea, and Owiredua(who got missing in transit).

After a short stay, they moved from Breman eastwards and there entered a relationship with a new deity, called Nana Ɔbuor (alias Nana Obuor Kofi Fante), who travelled with them. They fought many battles until they reached a location, they named Oda.

Since their clan name was Agona and they originated from Denkyira, they preferred to identify with 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 immediate neighbours of the Akwamus was the Asakyiri Clan, who were constantly harassed by the Akwamus.

The Asakyiri people called the Denkyira Agona “Ɔdodoɔ” meaning the large community. The military strategist for Denkyira Agona was Kwasi Bosomtwe, who 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 relics 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 was impressed at the bravery exhibited by the Denkyira Agona in 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 Ɔkyehene 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 the 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 Owia nkyen mu to be known later as WIRENKYIREN DADAMU later moved to present-day Wirenkyiren Amanfrom (popularly known as Amanfrom).

Not long after this, another war broke out and the joint great alliance army was called upon to 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 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, “dabi mo bԑ kae me” [dabi Ɔkyeman bԑ kae me].

When he died, the Ɔkyehene supervised his burial and called the place of the burial “mpԑni adae” to wit “resting place for a great man”.

The Denkyira Agona Clan suspected the Asakyiri Clan of 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 that sounds like “wo kukuru kukuru 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 aso teteԑ yԑ tan” to wit “the rumours are ugly”.

After the passage of a few years, the Ɔkyehene 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 Ɔkyehene 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 allodial title owners. Indeed, this ritual has continued till this day and that means that whoever is Chief in Apedwa is not the allodial 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 Queenmother.

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 (“Opanin dware wie a, na nsuo 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 settlement on due to intermarriages and friendship. So Apedwa lands have remained as such to date and at no time have these lands been transferred of Ɔkyehene by the Denkyira Agona and Asakyiri Clans.

Indeed, in recent history during Nana Addo Gyekye’s time as Chief of Apedwa, the then Chief Executive of the then East Akim District, Mr. Odame asked the Chief to give a parcel of land at Apedwa to the SDA Church for a school. At a public ceremony, Nana Addo Gyekye said “Boo na me wɔ asaase” to wit “God forbid I have no land”.

By that the Chief was telling the Chief Executive, even though he was a Chief, he had no land to donate to anybody. Indeed the customary position, that all lands that have been leased out by the Apedwa State have always been signed by the Apedwahene with the approval and consent from the Agonahene representing the Denkyira Agona Clan, the Krontihene representing the Asakyiri Clan, the Ɔkyeame and one other.

As part of the Denkyira Agona-Asakyiri Alliance, an appellative tune was invented on talking drums which to this day is often played. The tune is “Krɔbo-Denkyira”, “Denkyira-Krɔbo”: where the Krɔbo refers to the Asakyiri Clan and the Denkyira refers to Denkyira Agona. These tunes were and are still played on the talking drum to assemble the two clans-in-alliance whenever the needs arose or there was danger.

Whenever the Denkyira Agona moved on from one settlement to the next, they always left some members of their clan in the previous settlement.

The Asakyiri Clan later dispatched emissaries to Pamin, the then headquarters of the Ɔkyehene, Nana Oware Agyekum III to inform him of the presence of the Denkyira Agona army and to persuade the Ɔkyehene to enter an alliance with them as it would help to gain permanent dominance over the Akwamus and ward off any threats from the Akwamus.

Nana Ohemen and Kwasi Bosomtwe of Denkyira Agona were invited to Pamin, where they agreed to enter a great alliance with the Ɔkyehene. The official inauguration of the great alliance was held at Pamen in 1710. The joint armies of the Denkyira Agona, Asakyiri, and Apapam, as part of the great alliance, fought and won several wars such as the one that liberated the Akwapems from the Akwamus and pushed the Akwamus to cross the Firaw (Volta) River to their present location.

In 1717, the Denkyira Agona marshalled the Akyem great alliance army, led by Kwasi Bosomtwe to fight the Asantes. What motivated the Denkyira Agona was revenging the death of their former Denkyira Chief, Nana Ntim Gyakari in 1701.

The joint Denkyira Agona army and Asakyiri army played a key role in all the battles with the Akwamus from 1720 to 1724.

Nana Ofori Panin I continued the great military alliance with the Denkyira Agona and Asakyiri when he move the Ɔkyehene’s capital from Pamen to Kyebi.

In 1869, Nana Amoako Atta I, then King of Akyem Abuakwa asked the Denkyira Agona and the Asakyiri to assist the Chief and people of Pԑkyi (Peki) to fight Akwamus who were harassing them (Pԑkyis).

During the return of the army back home, Kwame Maafo who led the Denkyira Agona army in the Pԑkyi campaign was rewarded with a wife from the Pԑkyi Royal Family known as the Dei Family and to date, the roots of the woman still live in Apedwa and are considered associate members of the Denkyira Agona Clan, also now known as Asante Agona Clan. Indeed, the immediate past late Bamuhene of Akyem Apedwa, Nana Twum Barima was a descendant from the Pԑkyi woman’s lineage.

The Denkyira Agona is nicknamed “Pata ɔko, gye ɔko bɔ wobo” to wit “fight for peace greater warriors”.

In 1915, the then Ɔkyehene Nana Ofori Attah I invited the Chiefs and Odikros in the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area to deliberate on how to ensure that Akyem Abuakwa lands are preserved and managed for the common good. That meeting discussed how the sale of lands in Akyem Abuakwa was not for the benefit of the Akyem Abuakwas. It was agreed that thenceforth all lands that had not been sold yet by any Chief or Odikro needed to be seen as joint property of Akyem Abuakwa and any documentation of any sale must be countersigned by the Ɔkyehene.

The then Chief of Apedwa was at that meeting and there are no records to show that the Chief of Apedwa disagreed. Indeed, subsequently documents covering lands released by the Chief of Apedwa to the Colonial Government for a Cocoa Station and a Relay Station of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation were countersigned by Ɔkyehene. By 1915, our ancestors had already given out most of the said lands to people and families, including the famous MANKATA FAMILY, who wanted the lands for settlement, farming and other commercial purposes.

Akyem Apedwa had its own lands acquired through acts of war against the Akwamus in 1709 with the fighting force alliance made up of the Asakyiri Clan who lived at Krobo and the Denkyira Agona. So Akyem Apedwa had its own lands through acts of war before joining forces with Ɔkyehene Nana Oware Agyekum III to form a greater alliance in 1710 at Pamen against any external aggression. That pact did not cover Akyem Apedwa lands which had already been acquired through acts of war and settlement. It is, therefore, not true that Akyem Apedwa lands form part of Ɔkyehene lands acquired through war.

A number of lawsuits were mounted in December 1894, March 1897 and October 1897 within the Akyem Abuakwa traditional area.

Judgment was given in the March 1897 case for the plaintiff, the Chief of Apedwa, whereas judgment was given in the December 1894 and October 1897 cases to the Chief of Apedwa.

Nowhere in the proceedings and at no time during the pendency of the suit was Ɔkyehene a party, and neither did the Ɔkyehene apply to be joined as a party.

The Pampaso lands had already been sold out by the Akyem Apedwa Chief and when in 1905, Akyem Apedwa litigated over the land with the Mankata Family, Apedwa lost to the Pampaso in a ruling by the Supreme Court of the Gold Coast. In that case also, as with the Akyem Apedwa–Apapam Chief, the Ɔkyehene was not a party to the suit either is there any evidence that Ɔkyehene contributed in any way to Akyem Apedwa, in and for the suit.

The transaction between Akyem Apedwa and the Mankata Family on the land at Panpanso was long before 1915 when in the wisdom of Nana Ofori Atta I, he called for a unification of all Akyem Abuakwa lands that had not been covered by any sales or court judgments.

This abounded after the death of Nana Akyea Mensa.

It is, therefore, our considered view that Ofori Panin Fie cannot revisit the Pampanso land matter or issue.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media, we are outlining these historical facts because the claims recently made by D. M. Ofori Attah, the Akwansrehene of the Ofori Panin Fie, referring to these lands are false and fabrication and distortion of historical facts.

The Akwansrehene had earlier said that the people of Akyem Apedwa stole Ɔkyeman lands and sold them to the Mankata Family of Panpanso and the Mankata Family of Panpanso went on to sell some of these same lands to KOANS, and therefore KOANS had bought stolen lands. This is not true and therefore those comments are unfortunate.

It would be useful, therefore, that the same Akwansrehene uses the same channels he used to perpetuate these lies to apologise to the Chief, Elders and people of Akyem Apedwa, Mankata Family of Panpanso, and KOANS.

Respected Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media, it is worthy to note that a letter signed by one, Barima Yentumi Boaman dated September 17, 2014, on behalf of Ɔkyehene authorized one, Nana Yaw Opoku from Ɔkyehene’s Palace to enter into a joint negotiation with Apedwahene on the one part and Nana Mankata Family on the other with KOANS Building Solution so as to agree in principle to sharing the Panpanso lands. So, how come now, a representative of the Ɔkyehene’s Palace is alleging that the land belongs to the Ɔkyehene and has been stolen by the people of Apedwa?

Given the forgoing, we make the following firm declarations:

1. That the people of Akyem Apedwa are proud of their heritage as Akyem and members of the Amantuomiensa of the Akyem Abuakwa State.

2. That the people of Akyem Apedwa respect the political leadership of Ofori Panin Fie.

3. However, it is not disrespectful to state the truth that the Ɔkyehene is not the allodial title owner of Akyem Apedwa lands and that the present Ɔkyehene is the first Ɔkyehene who is attempting to interfere with the legal interests of the people of Akyem Apedwa on their own lands, and this is not acceptable.

4. 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.

5. That all those persons who have bought, buying or leasing lands belonging to Akyem Apedwa or Panpanso and doing so directly from the Ɔkyehene or his agents or privies or workmen or servants have done so illegally or doing so illegally. We, therefore, advise them to do due diligence and contact the true allodial 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).

6. Except for those pieces or parcels of land with documentary proof that our ancestors have already sold out to individuals and organizations, all other lands remain the property of Akyem Apedwa and not Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council or Ofori Panin Fie. That any person, legal or natural, who does business with the Abuakwa Traditional Council or Ofori Panin Fie on any of Akyem Apedwa or Panpanso lands does so at their own risk.

7. It is our considered view that Ɔkyehene 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 Ɔkyehene’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.

8. We respectfully state that the Ɔkyehene lacks the CAPACITY to enter onto any piece or parcel of land directly belonging to Akyem Apedwa and the Mankata Family without our express consent.

9. That Mr. Asiedu Bekoe, Akwansrehene of Ofori Panin Fie who has described the people of Akyem Apedwa as slaves, must apologise publicly to the people of Akyem Apedwa for his demeaning comments. He must note that the respected Nana Ofori Attah II, had a son and a daughter by a woman from the Asakyiri Clan.

10. That we intend to challenge in court any assertion by the Ɔkyehene or Abuakwa Traditional Council or Ofori Panin Fie that any of themselves, jointly or severally, have any allodial interest in the lands at Akyem Apedwa and Panpanso.

11. By their unfortunate statements, persons strongly connected to the Ofori Panin Fie have placed public ridicule on our reputation.

Respected Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media, we hope that, by our press statement today, we corrected wrong impressions and set the record straight on the allodial title holding over the Akyem Apedwa and Panpanso lands.