THE ASANTE EMPIRE

                                                                                

The Asante Kingdom is one well known all over Africa.  In the seventeenth century the Oyoka clan moved from Pra-Ofin basin towards the north. This migrating group settled near Kumasi in the Kwaman forest. They met the land around this area already occupied by earlier migrants from the Pra ofin confluence. The Oyoka linage established five city-states including what is today Kumasi. Kumasi was founded around 1660’s and 1670’s by Obiri Yeboa according to oral tradition.

The Asante Empire began a quick and steady rise due to some reasons. The first was the establishment of small Asante states within the Kumasi area. Another reason was the flourishing slave trade and the good cooperation between the small states. The last reason is the audacity, brilliancy, resilience, martial ardor and leadership skills exhibited by the first three great rulers of the Asante empire- Obiri Yeboa, Osei Tutu and Okpoku Ware. These great leaders ruled between 1660’s to 1750’s.

The cooperation among these states did not remove rivalry though each flourished on trans-Saharan trade, however only five states among these small states stood tall among the others. They were said to be clansmen and each among the five states looked after the other.

First we must look critically on the major factors that got the Asante Empire to the zenith. There were two major trade routes that passed through the Asante area. The western trade route from Timbuktu, Jenne and Begho, and the eastern route from Hausaland met in the Kumasi region and turned towards the coast in several directions. We must also note that the forests of Kwaman region was rich in gold and kola nuts and these were vital products of commerce. These products provided not only a lucrative trade but also wealth to the area. It will be worthwhile to point out that the rise of the Asante Empire was due to the available products of commerce and her strategic location. Another important factor to note is the togetherness fostered by these states, this was brought about in part by the oppression of the superior power of Denkyira at that time.

 These small states prior to the establishment of the Asante power were tributaries of Denkyira between 1650 and 1660. The rule of the Denkyira was one of oppression for her vassal states. The kingdom also obstructed the route to the coast severing direct trade between the states and the outside world. These factors necessitated the need to overthrow the kingdom of Denkyira. 

Around 1670’s, the first great ruler of the Asante came to power. Obiri Yeboa perfected the foundation that led to the birth of the true union of Asante. He led campaigns to conquer surrounding states that rejected the offer of a united Asante state. The great ruler was killed in battle around late 1670’s.

Osei Tutu came to power came to power probably around 1680. He was an astounding diplomat, administrator and a fearless warrior than his uncle Obiri Yeboa. He was the maternal nephew of Obiri Yeboa and this proved that succession to the throne was through maternal linage among the Akans of ancient Ghana. According to tradition Osei Tutu lived for a time in Denkyiri he acquired knowledge on military organization and statecraft. He also spent some years in the Akwamu region, and it was here he became the friend of Okomfo Anokye, a priest. Anokye played a vital role in the establishment of the Asante union. Osei Tutu persuaded the priest to come with him to Kumasi after the death of his uncle.

Coming to power Osei Tutu called on his friend Okomfo Anokye for advice. Both decided to call together the whole neighboring states in Kumasi loyal to the Okoyoko clan. The crafty friends knew they needed something strong to glue together these states as one, and in a lasting manner. The two friends found such glue in the now famous sacrosanct Golden Stool. Tradition said the priest Anokye brought down the golden stool from the sky amidst clouds and thunder. He then proceeded to announce that the stool is the soul of the united Asante Empire. The Golden stool was never to be lost and the lineage of Osei Tutu was forever the custodian of the stool and sole rulers of the Asante union. We should also note that the stool descent may not be taking as a physical occurrence. This may also represent the coming of a kingship never known to the people of the Kumasi region, thus it is said to come from the sky. But the important thing is the unity created by the new kingship Osei Tutu and his friend formed. 

Osei Tutu completed the uniting process his uncle began. He also drew up a constitution for the new empire and this was based on the allegiance of the subordinate chiefs who took a sacred oath to carry out all political ambitions of the king. He reorganized the empire’s army and continued the expansion of the empire. The constitution introduced by Osei was based on the already established Akan practices. The constitution was modeled to strip the subordinate chief the ability to rebel thus minimizing internal conflicts.

Osei Tutu fashioned his military like that of Akwamu. There were four divisions of the army known as lieutenancies; the van, the rear, the right and the left wing. Military service was compulsory for every able-bodied man.  The army was structured in a way troops are easily mobilized and funds are quickly generated through immediate taxes. With this well formed military he waged wars against neighboring states with ferocity and brilliance. Example of such wars was with the like waged against Tafo, Amakom and Ofinso, all neighboring states. Tafo and Amakom fell to the invading Asante army becoming part of the empire while Ofinso held out against the Asante troops. Between 1699 and 1701, Osei Tutu turned his army towards their lords the Denkyira and her allies. Denkyira was defeated and she became a tributary to Asante. The Asante soldiers carried away lots of war booties and the very valuable rental note for the castle at Elmina. This castle gave Osei Tutu the right to control an important trade route to the coast. The rise of this empire caused European traders to send representatives to the court of Osei TuTu. The Dutch sent an ambassador to the court in 1701.

It was now the turn of the allies of Denkyira who still refused to accept the lordship of Asante. Osei tutu sent his army towards these allies among which Akim was the strongest. Though at this time the Akim kingdom was depleted in soldiers, she lost about thirty thousand men during her support of Denkyira against Osei Tutu. Akim was annexed by Asante in the early 1700.

Osei Tutu faced the problem of rightly integration of these new conquered states into the empire. He was unable to effectively manage the now large empire.  Akim remain a thorn in the flesh of Osei Tutu. They revolted time after time and each time they were defeated. It was during an expedition to suppress the Akim rebellion that Osei Tutu was killed in 1712 while crossing the Pra river with his troops.

His death gave rise to the great oath. At this time the Empire was already a mighty one and strongly united by the Asante golden stool.