Owirenkyiman

Our History

The people of Asen Owirenkyi (Assin Owirenkyi) were warriors of aboriginal Etsii stock

Owirenkyi eee!!!!!! Owirenkyi!
Owirenkyi! Wo awen akyi firi tete
Woda Pra ano, Wodware sikansuo
Wohy􏰁 kwaemu wotu sika
Wodua sika wotwa sika
Wode Adwumad􏰁n apagya wo man
Ama wo man 􏰁nya mpontuo
Kantamanto! Katakye􏰁!
Wako 􏰂kopa ama w’adi nkunim
K􏰂 wanim, k􏰂 wanim
Owirenkyi eeee!!!!! Owirenkyi!
Owirenkyi! Wo aw􏰁n akyi firi tete

Hail Owirenkyi!!!!! Hail Owirenkyi!
Owirenkyi! You’re the ancient invincible warrior
You’re on the banks of River Pra, You bath gold water
You live inside the forest and mine gold
You plant gold and harvest gold
By your hard work, you have uplifted your nation,
And this has brought inclusive progress to your nation The one who stands by his word, the indisputable hero
You have fought the good fight and emerged victorious Advance, advance
Thou Owirenkyi!!!!! Thou Owirenkyi!
Owirenkyi! You’re the ancient indomitable warrior

The people of Asen Owirenkyi (Assin Owirenkyi) were warriors of aboriginal Etsii stock
The Asen Owirenkyi was one of the scattered Etsii groups that evacuated from the coast to the forest zones of the Pra basin for ages before the Akan groups including the Mfantse, Asen, Twifo, Denkyira, and Adanse emerged from the northern hinterlands to occupy the area and the lands on the
coast. Apart from the Owirenkyi, the other Etsii groups include Asen Andoe, Asen Gyirakaa (Gyakai/Jakai), Asen Gyawasiwa, Asen Bosomadwe, Asen Wurak􏰁se, Asen-Akenkansu, Asen Dwaaso (Juaso), Asen Edwenase, Amanfopong (Yanwa), Asuantse, Nsendzi, Ebusu, Saaben, Duasin, Sonkwa, Otsir, Adowegyir, Abonwenmu, Akrampa, Opepeadze, Kurwa, Edumafar, Abrem-Agona, Kuruwa, Mframandwe, Gyinankoma, Gomoa Akraman, Gomua Abor, Gomua Adaa, Gomua-Antseadze (Nana Ob􏰁se’s group), Esiam, Ekumfi-Ekuroful, Atakwaa, Fawomanya, Tetsi, and. Twifo-Heman, Ayinabir (Hemanso), and Ati-Mokwaa, Anomabo, Gomoa-Akoti, Egyaa, Obonoma (Anomabo), Mmowur􏰁 (Moree), Dwokwaa (Jukwa), and others. These Etsii were in pre-colonial Ghana before other aboriginals such as Asebu and the Ahanta groups led by Asebu Amanfi, Etsikwadu, Badu Bonsoe, and others arrived. Because of this autochthonous status of the Owirenkyi, that is why the chief’s drum sounds, Firi tete, Owirenkyi firi tete; Owirenkyi ee! awen akye firi tete “From time immemorial, Owirenkyi is of ancient origins; Thou Owirenkyi! You have been invincible since the primordial times.”

The Owirenkyi State has a carved Adinkra symbol representing the proverbial idea or motto: Wo foro dua pa a na y􏰁 pia wo “It is when you climb a good tree that we give you a push” as the emblem of the State. The emblem represented the attribute of the state and its people as a hard-working and selfless independent group that gives support for only good causes. In the forest zone of the Pra basin, the Owirenkyi founded their ancestral home of Asasetr􏰁 near Tebiase in the present-day Twifo-Hemang and Twifo-Praso territory where they shared a border with the Wassaw. The Owirenkyi state was founded by Nana Ansa Sasreku of Abor􏰂dze (Aduana) clan who ruled the vast land in the area as the most powerful ruler. Owirenkyi oral tradition avers that in the olden days, Asasetr􏰁 was the centre of the Abor􏰂dze (Aduana) clan which ruled all the land in the area. Under Ansa Sasreku, the Owirenkyi Kingdom extended and became the most influential amongst the scattered Etsii in the northwestern corner of the river Pra. It was his vast land, Asasetr􏰁, that the early Europeans, the Portuguese, referred to as Asaes grande in 1572. Asae grande, later became Akani upon the arrival of the Akan groups in the area. Amongst their family, the Ebiradze moiety that devolved from the K􏰂na (Kona/Kwona) clan led by Nana Minyah moved out to found the settlementofJukwa.Thisexplainsthe historic link between the Asen Owirenkyi and the people of Jukwaa, who gave land to the Denkyira migrants in 1824 to settle on.

Accordingly, the Owirenkyi had initially refused to flee the area because of their clan relationship with the Abrade (Abor􏰂dze) royal faction of the Aduana Twifo rulers, also evacuated from Asasetr􏰁 to settle first at a place close to Hemang and Wassa border. From this unnamed vicinity, various leaders that came after Ansa Sareku moved the people to settle first at Prekesease at Krofisu, and then to the lower banks of the Pra River. On this movement of the aboriginals to the lower Pra by the migrant Akans, Yusif Kwaben Effah writes: “Owing to population movement and state formation north of the Etsii, groups of the Akan by the early sixteenth century, began to cross the Pra to settle among them. It is most probable that among the early Assen immigrants were the founders of Kushea [Owirenkyi] who came to settle on comparatively uninhabited land. Kushea [Owirenkyi] was strategically situated and fell within the early European description of the Akan kingdom situated on the southern banks of the Pra River and lined between the southern Etsii groups of independent villages and the Assen of the northern side of the Pra River…” At the lower banks of Pra and north of the Etsii polity, the Etsii Owirenkyi came into contact with the Adanse and other Akan groups north of the Pra River.

It was the place where the Etsii Abor􏰂dze (Aduana) warriors met to strategise on the battles they fought on their way to their present location. The name Asen Kuhyia (Assin Kushea) became the name of the Etsii Abor􏰂dze and Akan Aduana group until 2007 when the traditional area was upgraded into a paramountcy of Asen Owirenkyi Traditional Area with Kushea as its traditional capital.
Another version of the Owirenkyi oral tradition contends that before the people move to settle at Kuhyia (Kushea), they settled first at Bohumase (vulgarisation of the old
name Nkohumase, meaning “you should know my origins”), which is about twenty-six miles from Cape Coast. The place offered the Owirenkyi opportunity to hide their stool from the Denkyira and Asante when they invaded the Asen territories at different times. This made it impossible for their stool to be captured by the two powerful kingdoms. The two states of Owirenkyi and Bohumase allied to protect themselves and fight against any external aggressor. This pact led to a strong relationship where the people of Owirenkyi and Bohumase could ascend the stool or political offices in either town. This went on for a very long time until the stool was later brought back to Kuhyia (Kushea) in the early nineteenth century.
At the Old Kuhyia (Kurowdadawmu), Owirenkyi played an important role in the coastal trade and the relationship that later came to exist between the inland state and the Europeans. The Owirenkyi was identified by the Europeans on the coast as part of the Little Akani (Asen-Adanse coalition) despite their historic and cultural identification as Etsii. This misidentification flows from their proximity to the Asen and Adanse from the seventeenth century when a sort of political unity occurred between the Owirenkyi and Asen-Adanse coalition, and the later Asen state with their capitals then at Ansa and Aboabo (Apagya)-Nimiaso north of the Pra River.

The Owirenkyi chiefs who were ancient warriors were elected as the commanders of the Asen (Akani) army. Hence, both Pra Agyensam Mmofo or
Agyensam Nimfa (General Nimpha / Imufa) and 􏰂kumanin Oduro Pra Agyensaim, ca. 1695-1730, led the Asen at various times to wage wars of subjugation against the Etsii on the lower banks of the Pra River from the late seventeenth century to the early eighteenth century. The military influence and commercial acumen of the Owirenkyi brought prestige to their independent state. 􏰂kumanin Oduro Pra Agyensam, did not only make Owirenkyi an important state, but he became a wealthy merchant controlling and directing the inland trade with the south.
Oduro Agyensam was the one who fought to protect the Asen state against the Denkyira in its early rise and was able to defeat Denkyira army under Akotia just as his predecessor, Agyensam Mmofo had also defeated Denkyira army under Agya (Kra) Ananse in 1696.
After the war, 􏰂d􏰁􏰁fo􏰂 B􏰂 Amponsem died suddenly. The Denkyira who were envious of the prosperity of the independent state of Owirenkyi because of their coastal trade and connections to the Europeans came up with the trump-up charges about the complicity of Oduro Pra Agyensam’s involvement in the death of B􏰂 Amp􏰂nsem. Acting upon the rumours flying about the circumstances of the great King’s death, Ntim Gyakari who succeeded B􏰂 Amponsem accused the Oduro Pra Agyensem of poisoning his uncle and predecessor. Oral sources aver that when Oduro Agyensam sent the Asen’s annual tribute of European rum to the King, he laced it with poison, because when the puncheon which contained the rum was opened a bat flew out of it, signalling ominous intent.

Alexander Atta Yaw Kyerematen in his PhD thesis, Ashanti Stool Regalia: Their History and Functions, noted, “Amponsem was alleged to have drunk the rum, despite his elders’ advice against touching it and to have died immediately afterward. Agyensem took refuge in Kumasi when he was sought for questioning. When Ntim Gyakari succeeded Amponsem, he ordered Osei Tutu to extradict Agyensem; but he refused.” Before he fled to Kumase, Agyensam had stubbornly refused the invitation to go to Abank􏰁se􏰁so to answer questions with regard to his culpability in B􏰂 Amponsam’s death. Thus, King Ntim Gyakari invaded Asen in December 1697 and burnt Asen Kushea into ashes and captured Oduro Agyensam in May 1698. However, whilst being taken to Abank􏰁se􏰁so as a prisoner, Agyensam escaped mysteriously from his captors and fled to Kwaman (Kumase) to seek refuge at King Osei Tutu I (􏰂pemso􏰂 Os􏰁e Tutu I) palace. As Kyerematen, noted, when Ntim Gyakari ordered his vassal state of Kumase to extradict Agyensam to Abank􏰁se􏰁so to face charges, Osei Tutu refused. The incident was one of the reasons that Ntim Gyakari demanded outrageous taxation and tributes from the pre-colonial Asante confederacies leading to the Feyiase War in 1699-1701. In the war, Oduro Agyensem, known in Asante for his military strategies and successful wars of resistance against the Denkyira was drafted into the Asante army by 􏰂pemso􏰂 􏰂s􏰁e Tutu and served directly under his Kwaamanhene Fekuo (Kwamang Chief’s Company). He fought alongside 􏰂s􏰁e Tutu in the battle against the Denkyira from 1699-1701 that led to the defeat, capture and decapitation of the Denkyirahene 􏰂d􏰁􏰁fo􏰂 Ntim Gyakari. Thus, Agyensam was recognised for his role in the war that led to the independence of Kwaaman (Kumase) and other vassals which later united under the spiritual directions of 􏰂k􏰂mfo Anokye to form the Asante Kingdom in 1701. He was offered a reputable position in the Asante army by 􏰂pemso􏰂 􏰂s􏰁e Tutu I for the pivotal role he played for the Asante before and during the war against the Denkyira.

􏰂pemso􏰂 Se􏰁 Tu I proclaimed that the Asante army would never go to the battleground with the presence of the chief of Asen Kushea (Owirenkyi). As historian Christian Carl Reindorf noted in his monumental historic book, History of the Gold Coast and Asante about the Feyiase war and the formation of the Asante Kingdom: “Agyemsam, the king of Kohyia in Asen, was at that time in Kumase on account of their annihilation by the Dankeras in 1697. He also joined, hence the Asantes never undertake any war, unless an Asen chief be among them.” 􏰂pemso􏰂 Os􏰁e Tutu I having found Oduro Pra Agyensam as a man with Midas touch around him, kept him in his new administration and he became an influential chief at his court. 􏰂pemso􏰂 who believed in supernatural powers knew Oduro Pra Agyensam possessed the warring power spirit and the good luck of River Pra which is why he kept him. Later, the Asantehene went on to create his own 􏰂tumfo􏰂 Asenhene stool in memory of Oduro Pra Agyensam. When Oduro Pra Agyensam left Asante for Owirenkyi in 1701 to rebuild his town of Kushea, 􏰂pemso􏰂 OS􏰁e Tutu gave him a thousand guns, a palanquin, and some human beings. In October 1701, Agyensam brokered a diplomatic and trade deal between the Dutch and Asante and this saw the sending of David Van Nyendael, the first Dutch envoy to visit Asante. This adamfo􏰂 or beautiful close relationship that existed between 􏰂pemso􏰂 Se􏰁 Tu and Oduro Pra Agyensam in the seventeenth century has repeated itself with the current strong relationship between Asantehene Osei Tutu II and Nana Pra Agyensaim VI of Owirenkyi and his brother, Dr Sir Sam Esoun Jonah. In 1730, Oduro Agyensam was called upon by his Mfantse allies led by Eno Baissie, Chief of Anomabo to join the Akyem in their war against Akwamu who were maltreating the hilly Guan. He led the Asen army to join the Akyem and their allied forces including the hilly Guan, the Gas of Accra, and Mfantse to invade the Akuapem Hills and defeated the Akwamu who fled the Hills to cross the Volta River to live on its eastern corridors close to the Ewe.

The 1730 victory by the Akyem and their allies over Akwamu liberated the hilly Guans and led to the formation of the Akuapem State in 1733 under the Abotakyi Accord. The people of Accra who had also been under Akwamu suzerainty since their defeat and the capture and execution of King Okaikwei in 1677 also gained their freedom after the fall of Akwamu in 1730. After this important war that changed the socio-political, power, and trade relations in the Gold Coast, Oduro Pra Agyensam who contributed to the victory did not reach home to celebrate with his people despite touching his feet on the Asen territory. It is said that when Pra Agyensam reached Aprade village near Wurak􏰁se on a fateful Sunday, he died after the long tiresome journey from Akuapem. The Asen warriors mourned their heroic warrior-chief by smearing their faces with ntwoma ‘red clay.’ They embalmed and placed the mortal remains in a hammock and carried him from Aprade to Owirenkyi to give him a befitting burial worthy of a royal and war hero. This unfortunate incident brought the Asen Owirenkyi’s ntamk􏰁se ‘great oath’, Kwasida ne Ntwoma ‘Sunday and Red Clay’. Another incident of History repeating itself on the close friendship between Okyehene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin II, Ehunabobrim Prah Agyensaim VI and Sir Sam Jonah. Again, in line with their historic adamfo􏰂fa ‘friendship’, 􏰂kumanini Pra Agyensam who ruled Asen Owirenkyi in the early nineteenth century joined the Asante in their war against the powerful King Kwadwo Agyemang Adinkra (Adingra) of Gyaman. Agyensam served under the nifa division of the Attandansu and commanded the nifa army and went to war with his Attandansu King, Nana Tsibu Darko I. In the war, Agyensam exhibited profound martial skills and bravery that contributed to the Asante victory over Gyaman and the killing of King Kwadwo Adinkra, who was believed to have been the originator of Akan adinkra symbols. Asantehene 􏰂koawia S􏰁e Kwadwo (Okoawia Osei Kwadwo) recognised the terrific valour of Pra Agyensam and the people of Owirenkyi who always promise to do a thing and never go back on it. Ergo, he conferred the title, 􏰂kumanin ‘the killer of the valiant’ or ‘the one who kills the eminent ones’ on Owirenkyihene. Nana Tsibu Darko was also praised by the Asantehene but his success was dwarfed by that of his divisional chief, Pra Agyensam.

After the war, Nana Tsibu Darko and his colleague at Apemanim made a pact to never fight for the Asante again. Despite these important historical milestones, the independent Owirenkyi state, however, became subservient to the Asen when it willingly joined Asen Asen Attandansu state in the early eighteenth century. This made Owirenkyi the nimfa (right flank) division and fotosanfo ‘treasury’ of the Asen Attandansu paramountcy from 1702 to 2008.

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