THE STORY OF OKOMFO ANOKYE

There is a town after Abiriw-Akuapem and Dawu-Akuapem where a boy was born in about the year 1800AD. He was the only son of his parents. His mother was called Kobe (pronounced Kobɛ) and his father was also called Anor. This boy was born holding in his hand a chunk of white fur/wool from a ram in his right hand. The midwife who helped deliver the child was surprised to see that the new born child had “chunk of wool in his hand” so she called out to the father of the new born child in the Akuapem language calling him to come and see, “Anɔ bɛ kyi, bɛ kyi” meaning “Ano, come and see”. Upon Ano’s arrival, she exclaimed “Anɔ kyi” which means “Ano see.”

The Ewes also hold the view that Anokye’s father was Ewe which is why his father was called Anor but then there is not much basis for this claim. Ancient Ewes were not excellent Twi speakers and Anokye was an excellent Twi speaker as evident in all Guan speaking communities.

History has it that one day, baby Anokye was nowhere to be found in his home. His parents were worried likewise his extended family and there went out to search for him. They came home to see him lying on his mat and his dad was called once again to come and see “Anɔ, bɛkyi, abɔ to” meaning “Ano, come and see: he is here.” His name was Kwame Frimpong but then his appellation Anokye was famous. He once conjured food from sand for his play mates after they had complained of hunger. He performed so many miracles within the Akuapem territories especially in his hometown Awukugua. He journeyed through communities even to Koforidua to display his powers.

Koforidua was a place which had a tree where one man called K’ Ofori used to sit and relax. He did that every afternoon so people called the place K’ Ofori dua which has come to stay as Koforidua. Koforidua is presently the capital of the Eastern Region of Ghana.

In one of his trips to display his magical abilities was when he had an encounter with Nana Osei Tutu I of Asanteman. They became friends as his acts really pleased the king. He was taken to Asanteman where he stayed for some time. At Asanteman he planted two seeds called “kum” in the Akan language. He prophesied that one would grow and the other would die. The place that the “kum” seed germinated and sprouted was destined to be the capital of Asanteman and where it died would not be the capital. This brought about Kumasi and Kumawu where Kumasi means “under the Kum tree,” because the seed sprouted at Kumasi but then at Kumawu, the seed sprouted but died thus the name Kumawu meaning “the Kum died.” He came back home and he did outstanding things in his hometown Awukugua.

Firstly, he planted a palm-tree which was destined to make Awukugua and Okuapeman the cultural hub of Ghana. Secondly, he created seven holes in a huge stone using his bare fingers which is till date beneath a tree in front of a shrine opposite Anokye’s house at Awukugua-Akuapem. The seven holes in the stone were to symbolise the unity of Awukugua and its clans. Three towns after Awukugua is Aperede-Akuapem where according to history, he used to go there to rest and incite prayers. Now interestingly, his footprints and prints of his backbones are still on some rocks at Aprede.

It happened then that Denkyira overthrew Asanteman and became the most powerful Akan state. The Asantes were under the Denkyira but then they sought sovereignty which sparked conflict among the Asantes and the Denkyira. So Otumfuor Osei Tutu I believed in the fact that a great spiritual leader must lead them if they are to win the war against the Denkyira thus he travelled to see Okomfo Anokye in his hometown at Awukugua.

Anokye was arrested by the Lartehene and kept in prison for some few days because some elders of Akuapem accused him falsely of planning to dethrone Larteh-hene by claiming Awukugua will be the greatest kingdom ever heard of and there is no need for Awukugua to be paying tribute to Larteh. This sparked Lartehene’s anger. Aside that fact, people would come from afar to visit him and ignore the priests and elders of the community and this contributed to some sort of jealousy among the elders of Awukugua. Thus, they plotted to get rid of him. Anokye was released perhaps because Lartehene heard of the fact that Otumfuor was at Akuapem and he was looking for Anokye. Anokye went to see Otumfuor and narrated and prophesied events of Otumfuor’s life which impressed him. He then again went to the elders of Awukugua and demanded that they explained their reason of betrayal to him. They asked him to leave the community and that he is a nuisance to them. Anokye was deeply hurt that out of anger he went to theplace where he had earlier planted the palm tree and was still growing. He uprooted it and and he turned it upside down then he chanted over it and said “this tree will continue to grow but then it would retard the progress of Awukugua and reverse every blessing on the land.”

To make matters worse he hanged a bell on a tree and he asked that for their own good, they should not allow any goat into the kingdom which will eat the leaves of that particular tree on which he had hanged the bell. They doubted him and asked him to leave Awukugua. Furthermore, he angrily took a stone and threw it and he said that where the stone fell is where Awukugua will progress to hence its barrier.

He went with Otumfuor to Asanteman and helped him win the war. In the Asante kingdom, he did so many marvellous things. He planted a sword in the ground and said no one would be able to remove that sword; moreover, the site of the sword would bring healing to the people of the Ashanti kingdom. Till now, the sword is in front of the Okomfo Anokye Teaching hospital and many people are being healed there. Okomfo Anokye as he later came to be known one day assembled the people of Asanteman, and during the durbar, he commanded a golden stool from the skies and made it sit on the laps of the Asantehene. He said that the golden stool would signify the strength and unity of Asanteman and the day the stool would leave the land would signify the downfall of Asanteman.

There is an interesting part of this story which has not been told. After Okomfo Anokye had commanded the golden stool from the skies, Otumfuor Osei Tutu I exclaimed “ei! Nzema bayie!”

He saw the Akuapems (Ga-Akan Guans) and the Nzemas (Westerm Guans) as one people. Perhaps, he had always referred to all Guans as Nzemas thus, the wonders of Anokye made him utter those words. “Nzema bayie!” has come to stay and till date, people attribute “witchcraft”to the Nzemas.

Back to Awukugua! Years on, the Guans indeed realised Anokye was not joking when he pronounced those curses on then.  The bell had fallen and the palm tree that he turned upside down managed to grow. They had also heard of the rapid development of Asanteman. They knew by pouring libation, Anokye’s deity would hear their prayers and the message will get to Anokye. Not so long after they had poured the libation, the palm tree fell down and it fell on the bell. The elders of Awukugua were afraid to chop the palm tree into logs or pieces as they do not want to invite more curses unto themselves so they built a wall around the palm tree to hold it although it has fallen. This happened on the 26^th of June, 1982, and with time the entire palm tree rotted away creating a round shape in the wall and this till date is found at Awukugua. Interestingly, a new tree sprouted up to replace the dead tree and ever since then, the curse on Awukugua had been lifted.  

One day, Okomfo Anokye said he was going for the key of death, that no one would die again, which in the Twi language is called the “Owuo Safoa”. He forbade crying in the lands and shooting of guns until seven days after his return. But before the seven days were over, history has it that one hunter shot at an animal which then caused the women to start mourning. Anokye never returned.

The Akuapem people are also referred to as Mentemente (Mɛntɛmɛntɛ). This is because they normally say “what” as “mεntε” in their Guan dialect.

It is believed that the Asene clan of the Akans started with Okomfo Anokye and the name Asene is sourced from a water body at Awukugua. It is also good to note that the Ga people also have the Asɛrɛ clan which is also a corruption of Asene.