Okomfo Anokye
Encyclopedia
Okomfo Anokye was an Ashanti
priest, statesman and lawgiver. He occupies a Merlin
-like position in Ashanti history. A co-founder of the Empire of Ashanti in West Africa, he helped establish its constitution, laws, and customs.
forest states around the city of Kumasi
which were already grouped in a loose military alliance, Anokye was his adviser and chief priest. Tutu and Anokye, who must be considered together, carried out the expansionist policy
of their predecessors, defeating two powerful enemies, the Akan
Doma to the northwest and the Denkyera empire to the south.
It was and still is said by the historians of Ashanti that their people are descendants of the great Mali Empire, which is said to have given them their knowledge and war-like nature. The Ashanti conquered large parts of Ghana during the 17th century by overthrowing their powerful overlords, the Denkyera. Okomfo Anokye was essentially a powerful cleric who served to rally the people to the cause of his king. The Okomfo is also said to have placed a dagger in the middle of the Ashanti region in Ghana which the Europeans have not being able to take out with any type of technology for over around 500 years. Ashanti was one of the fews regions in West Africa to achieve victories against the British in battle.
segments, and Anokye employed not only the political influence of his priesthood but also the spiritual ties it engendered to transform the loose Ashanti
alliance into a "national" union in 1695.
Anokye and Tutu established rituals and customs of the Ashanti state to diminish the influence of local traditions. They designated Kumasi
the Ashanti capital. They then established a state council of the chiefs
of the preexisting states admitted to the union and suppressed all competing traditions of origin. Finally, they reorganized the Ashanti army.
deed of rent for Elmina Castle
. This gave the traders of the empire access to the African coast and involved them henceforth in the commerce and politics of the coastal slave trade. After Tutu's death in 1717, Anokye is said to have returned to Akwapim and died there. The real cause of his death is not known.
Ashanti
Ashanti, or Asante, are an Akan people who live predominantly in Ghana and Ivory Coast. They speak Twi, an Akan dialect.Prior to European colonization, the Ashanti people developed a large and influential empire in West Africa...
priest, statesman and lawgiver. He occupies a Merlin
Merlin
Merlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures...
-like position in Ashanti history. A co-founder of the Empire of Ashanti in West Africa, he helped establish its constitution, laws, and customs.
Early life
The original name of Okomfo Anokye was Kwame Frimpon Anokye (Okomfo means "priest"). Some traditions say that he came from Awukugua-Akwapim in the Akwamu Kingdom southeast of the Empire of Ashanti, but his descendants claim he was simply born in Kumasi of a mother and father from Awukugua-Akwapim. At any rate, he was introduced to the military leader Osei Tutu (the other co-founder of the Empire of Ashanti) by a maternal uncle.The Founding of Ashanti
When Osei Tutu succeeded about 1690 to the leadership of the small group of AkanAkan people
The Akan people are an ethnic group found predominately in Ghana and The Ivory Coast. Akans are the majority in both of these countries and overall have a population of over 20 million people.The Akan speak Kwa languages-Origin and ethnogenesis:...
forest states around the city of Kumasi
Kumasi
Kumasi is a city in southern central Ghana's Ashanti region. It is located near Lake Bosomtwe, in the Rain Forest Region about northwest of Accra. Kumasi is approximately north of the Equator and north of the Gulf of Guinea...
which were already grouped in a loose military alliance, Anokye was his adviser and chief priest. Tutu and Anokye, who must be considered together, carried out the expansionist policy
Expansionism
In general, expansionism consists of expansionist policies of governments and states. While some have linked the term to promoting economic growth , more commonly expansionism refers to the doctrine of a state expanding its territorial base usually, though not necessarily, by means of military...
of their predecessors, defeating two powerful enemies, the Akan
Akan people
The Akan people are an ethnic group found predominately in Ghana and The Ivory Coast. Akans are the majority in both of these countries and overall have a population of over 20 million people.The Akan speak Kwa languages-Origin and ethnogenesis:...
Doma to the northwest and the Denkyera empire to the south.
It was and still is said by the historians of Ashanti that their people are descendants of the great Mali Empire, which is said to have given them their knowledge and war-like nature. The Ashanti conquered large parts of Ghana during the 17th century by overthrowing their powerful overlords, the Denkyera. Okomfo Anokye was essentially a powerful cleric who served to rally the people to the cause of his king. The Okomfo is also said to have placed a dagger in the middle of the Ashanti region in Ghana which the Europeans have not being able to take out with any type of technology for over around 500 years. Ashanti was one of the fews regions in West Africa to achieve victories against the British in battle.
The Unification of the Ashanti Peoples
To throw off the Denkyera yoke required a powerful unity that transcended the particularism of the AshantiAshanti
Ashanti, or Asante, are an Akan people who live predominantly in Ghana and Ivory Coast. They speak Twi, an Akan dialect.Prior to European colonization, the Ashanti people developed a large and influential empire in West Africa...
segments, and Anokye employed not only the political influence of his priesthood but also the spiritual ties it engendered to transform the loose Ashanti
Ashanti
Ashanti, or Asante, are an Akan people who live predominantly in Ghana and Ivory Coast. They speak Twi, an Akan dialect.Prior to European colonization, the Ashanti people developed a large and influential empire in West Africa...
alliance into a "national" union in 1695.
Anokye and Tutu established rituals and customs of the Ashanti state to diminish the influence of local traditions. They designated Kumasi
Kumasi
Kumasi is a city in southern central Ghana's Ashanti region. It is located near Lake Bosomtwe, in the Rain Forest Region about northwest of Accra. Kumasi is approximately north of the Equator and north of the Gulf of Guinea...
the Ashanti capital. They then established a state council of the chiefs
King
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...
of the preexisting states admitted to the union and suppressed all competing traditions of origin. Finally, they reorganized the Ashanti army.
The War with the Denkyera
The war with Denkyera from 1699 to 1701 went badly at first, but when the Denkyera army reached the gates of Kumasi, Anokye's "incantations" supposedly produced defections among their generals. The Ashanti broke the Denkyera hegemony and captured the DutchNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
deed of rent for Elmina Castle
Elmina Castle
Elmina Castle was erected by Portugal in 1482 as São Jorge da Mina Castle, also known simply as Mina or Feitoria da Mina) in present-day Elmina, Ghana . It was the first trading post built on the Gulf of Guinea, so is the oldest European building in existence below the Sahara...
. This gave the traders of the empire access to the African coast and involved them henceforth in the commerce and politics of the coastal slave trade. After Tutu's death in 1717, Anokye is said to have returned to Akwapim and died there. The real cause of his death is not known.
External links
- http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/features/artikel.php?ID=93275
- http://www.info-ghana.com/ashanti_empire.htm
- http://acona-usacanada.org/asantehistory1.html
- http://www.doth.com/kwanzaa/africa/ghana/ghana.htm
- http://www.cosw.sc.edu/photogallery/ghana2001/pages/Okomfo%20Anokye%2023.htm
- http://www.blackhistorypages.net/pages/oseitutu.php