Background

After this great conquest of the Akwamus, Prince Safori left the camp for a village called Amamprobi and summoned all the Akuapem

Akuapem

The Akuapem are an Akan people who predominantly occupy the Eastern region of Ghana.-History:The original inhabitants of the Akuapern Hills were predominantly Guan. The towns of Akuapem are in the Eastern Region of Ghana and situated between longitude 0°15 W - 0°00 and latitude 5°45 - 6°00 N...

s to go there for a victory meeting. At the meeting, victorious Prince Safori requested the Akuapems to untie the cartridge belt from his waist, meaning that they should pay him so that we could return to Akyem Abuakwa. As the people of Akuapem were incapable of paying any reward commensurate with the great feat, they unanimously pleaded with Prince Safori to agree to remain in Akuapem as their king. Prince Safori consented and went back to Akyem to inform his uncle, Ofori Panyin of it. The King of Abuakwa also gave his approval and Prince Safori came back to Akuapem to be their first king. That was in 1730.

The common enemy (The Akwamus) having been driven away, and besides the fear that they might return, became the need to institute an internal security system to face any future eventuality. The Akim warlords thus arranged a meeting among the Guans and the Kyereponds at Abotakyi. The purpose was to organise the territory into an order known as Twi military Order. This consideration influenced the need of allocating offices and creating of new stools. Five divisions were created to rule the state under King Safori, with the later as Okuapehene.

Agreement

To confirm and ratify the agreement, the Akuapems decided to take an oath of the fetish Kyenku of Obosomase. They all met at Abotakyi and the oath was administered with the promise that they would never withdraw their allegiance to King Safori or any of his successors.

The five divisions are:

A) Kuronti Division
Nana Ofei Kwasi Agyeman, the Gyakiti warlord, who originally took center stage in inviting the Akyem Abuakwa contingent and led the warriors to crush the Akwamus, was made the Senior Divisional Chief with the title of Adontenhene No.1 and Akroponghene. In the course of time, the title “Adonten No.1” was re-designated to that of Kurontihene. The change of title, however did not offset his position as the Senior Divisional chief and Akroponghene.

B) Gyase Division
The Gyase position went to Nana Akompi Kwatia of Amanokrom for he being the brother of Okyenhene, and also custodian of Okuapehene palace regalia and paraphernalia.

C) Nifa Division
The seven Kyerepong towns of Abiriw, Dawu, Awukugua, Adukrom, Apirede, Adonse and Aseseeso constituted the right wing or the Nifa Division of Akuapem with the Nifahene as the Divisional Chief based at Awukugua.

D) Benkum Division
The Benkum division was given to the Guans at Larteh. Lareth Ahenase, Lareth Kubease, Mamfe, Mampong, Abotakyi, Tutu and Obosomase constituted the left wing portion of the state or Benkum Division with the Chief of Lareth Ahenase as the Benkumhene. .

At the first traditional council meeting the Gyakiti warlord was crowned as the senior divisional chief and next commander-in-chief whenever the Okuapehene is away. In 1934, the then Okuapehene Nana Ofori Kuma decided that the Adontenhene Number1 title re- designated to Krontihene, a title which did not change his position and status in the hierarchy of Akuapem, even though Nana Yaw Boafo the then Krontihene abdicated in protest over the change. The Krontihene remained as the second-in-command to the Okuapehene. He owns Akropong, as such he is the Akroponghene. The Krontihene in concert and collaboration with the Okoman elders and the Ankobeafo administers the affairs of Akropong.

For administrative convenience King Safori moved his seat from Amamprobi to Nsorem, the present site of the Akropong-Abiriw market, just before he died in 1731. In the same year, his successor, King Fianko Betuafo began establishing the town of Akropong around the huge Mpeni tree and it was during the reign of the fourth occupant of the Ofori stool- King Kwapong Kyerefo- that the Black Stool was moved in 1743 from Nsorem to be housed at Akropong and the town of Akropong made the capital and the seat of government of Akuapem.

Larteh Accord

The Abotakyi Accord of 1773 was permanently replaced with the Larteh Accord on 8 May 1994. The new Accord, which was signed by Nana Asiedu Okoo Ababio III, Otutu Ababio IV and Nana Gyan Kwasi II, created the following autonomous Akuapem Paramountcies:

• Akuapem Guan – with Paramount Chief, Osabarima Asiedu Okoo Ababio III, in Larteh.
• Akuapem Okere – with Paramount Chief, Nana Otutu Ababio V, in Adukrom.
• Akuapem Anafo – with Paramount Chief, Otobour Nana Gyan Kwasi II, in Aburi.
• Akuapem Akropong - – with Paramount Chief, Nana Addo Dankwa III, in Akropong

The Chief and Elders, who designed the Larteh Accord, wisely included the following provision in it to ensure ongoing consultation with all stakeholders in managing overall interests and affairs of all Akuapem citizens. It also led to the establishment of a Council of Akuapem Paramount Chiefs with a two-year rotating presidency.