The Rivalry, Scandal, and Revolution That Forged an Akan State

BECAUSE OF WAR

~ By Hene Aku Kwapong KUMASE, 1701 – In a stunning victory that has reshaped the political landscape of the Akan people, the united forces of the Asante Confederacy have decisively defeated the mighty Denkyira army at the Battle of Feyiase. This victory marks not just a military triumph, but the breathtaking birth of a new state, born from a powerful cocktail of personal rivalry, scandal, oppression, divine intervention, and a radical new vision of unity. The story of Asante is one of the most remarkable in West African history, tracing its origins not to a slow evolution, but to a deliberate act of creation by two visionary men, a creation sparked by a fateful indiscretion and a deep-seated personal rivalry.

A Rivalry Forged in a Great Court:

The chain of events that led to this revolution began in the magnificent court of Denkyirahene Boa Amponsem, a ruler of immense stature and power who had elevated the Denkyira Empire to its peak. From his capital at Abankesieso (meaning “the great court” or “place of the great oath”), Boa Amponsem wielded absolute authority. The name itself evoked the power and finality of the judgments and decrees that emanated from his throne. It was in this powerful and intimidating court that a young royal hostage named Osei Tutu from the tributary state of Kwaaman was serving, a customary practice to ensure his people’s loyalty. It was here that he grew up alongside Ntim Gyakari, the son of Boa Amponsem and heir to the Denkyira throne. Historical sources suggest their relationship was fraught with a competitive tension. Osei Tutu, though a hostage, was known for his charisma and intelligence. Ntim Gyakari, the privileged prince groomed to inherit the power of Abankesieso, would have viewed the influential outsider from a subservient state as a natural rival. This dynamic sowed the seeds of a deep personal animosity that would later define a war between nations. The situation reached its breaking point when Osei Tutu committed a grave and dangerous transgression. Accounts passed down through court historians report that the prince was discovered to have had an affair with one of the wives of the Denkyirahene or a high-ranking chief—an act that was not only personally insulting to the royal house but a direct challenge to his rival’s future authority. “This was the final, unforgivable provocation,” explains anthropologist Dr. Ama Serwah. “It was a crime punishable by death and forced Osei Tutu into a desperate, immediate flight for his life. This personal scandal, set against the backdrop of a budding rivalry in the halls of Abankesieso, was the catalyst that sent him east to Akwamu.” His escape from Denkyiran justice proved to be history’s gain. He found refuge in the expanding Akwamu Empire. It was here that history’s gears began to turn. He rose to become a skilled military commander, learning the tactics of imperial warfare. More importantly, he forged a fateful alliance with a mysterious and brilliant strategist, priest, and philosopher, Okomfo Anokye. Together, they conceived an audacious plan: to forge a grand coalition of the oppressed and challenge Denkyira’s hegemony. The Call to Arms: A Grand Coalition of the Willing: Their cause found fertile ground. In the small state now known as Kumasi—named for the sacred Kum tree at its center—resentment against Denkyira was boiling over. When Ntim Gyakari ascended the throne, his demands became not just heavy but intentionally humiliating, perhaps fueled by his old rivalry. But Osei Tutu and Okomfo Anokye knew Kumasi alone could not win. They embarked on a sweeping diplomatic campaign, sending messengers far beyond the immediate Amanto states. Their call to rebel against Ntim Gyakari’s tyranny resonated with a diverse array of peoples. They successfully rallied the rulers of core states like Mampong, Dwaben, Bekwai, and Kokofu, but their coalition extended further to include other tribes and mini-states from across Denkyira’s vast dominion, groups like the Akyem, the Adansi, and others who had long chafed under Denkyira’s heavy hand and saw an opportunity for liberation. “The appeal was universal,” recounts Elder Kofi Mensah. “Why serve a distant master when we can rule ourselves? United, we could be free. Divided, we would remain slaves. The call to rebel was answered by anyone who had ever been forced to pay a degrading tribute to Ntim Gyakari.”

The Miracle That Unified a Nation:

Knowing that a military alliance would not be enough, Okomfo Anokye staged one of the most powerful political spectacles in history. He summoned the chiefs of all the surrounding clans to a great ceremony. As the story is told, the sky darkened, and from a swirling cloud accompanied by thunder, a magnificent stool, adorned with gold, descended gently into Osei Tutu’s lap. Anokye proclaimed this the Sika Dwa Kofi, the Golden Stool. He declared it contained the spirit (Sunsum) of a new nation, a sacred entity that transcended any single chief, clan, or tribe. Loyalty was to be sworn to the Stool, making Osei Tutu its first custodian, the Asantehene. “The Golden Stool was a masterstroke,” says Dr. Serwah. “It provided a spiritual and political center that allowed individual chiefs to retain their power while submitting to a higher national purpose. It was the bedrock of their unity.”

A New Doctrine of Belonging:

Yet Okomfo Anokye’s genius extended beyond the spiritual. He foresaw the social fractures that could undermine the new state—questions of origin, seniority, and who was a “true” Asante. To preempt this, he issued a profound and radical decree that continues to define the national character. He declared that from that day forward, no one should ever question another’s origins or belonging in the Asante nation. To ensure this, he gave every citizen a single, unified response to the question, “Wo firi he?” (Where are you from?). “If you are asked where you come from,” Anokye instructed, “you are to say, ‘Me fi tete; me fi asase pɔnko so.’” — “I am from ancient times; I come from the bare earth.” This powerful doctrine instantly erased distinctions between conqueror and conquered, original and newcomer. Anyone who pledged allegiance to the Golden Stool was, and always had been, Asante. They were all children of the same land, united in purpose.

“Because of  War”: A Name Forged in Defiance:

With their new spiritual and social identity cemented, the united clans needed a name. It came from a defiant battle cry. As the armies mobilized, Osei Tutu rallied his commanders, declaring, “Asa-nti na yɛde besi Denkyira!” — “It is because of war that we will defeat Denkyira!” The name Asante (from asa: war, nti: because of) was adopted immediately. It was a permanent declaration of intent and origin: this nation was forged in the fire of necessary conflict.

The Decisive Blow:

The war that followed was fierce, but the Asante, united under the Golden Stool and employing innovative tactics learned from Akwamu, proved superior. The conflict culminated at the Battle of Feyiase. Outnumbered but not outmaneuvered, the Asante forces routed the Denkyira army. King Ntim Gyakari himself was captured and executed, bringing a final end to the bitter rivalry that began in his father’s court. The victory was total. Denkyira’s dominion was shattered, its wealth and control of the southern trade routes seized by the ascendant Asante.

A New Empire Rises:

From a personal scandal and a childhood rivalry that forced a prince into exile, and from the ashes of Denkyira’s oppression, a new empire has been born. Under the leadership of Asantehene Osei Tutu and the spiritual guidance of Okomfo Anokye, the architect of its laws, its soul, and its revolutionary spirit of unity, the Asante Confederacy is poised to become a dominant force. They are a people united not by ancient blood, but by a shared purpose and a common answer to the question of belonging: We come from the bare earth.

Epilogue: The Founders’ Legacy and the Empire’s Future:

The triumph at Feyiase was not the end of the story for the founders. For the next two decades, Asantehene Osei Tutu worked tirelessly to consolidate the gains of the revolution, expanding the empire’s borders and solidifying the administrative structures laid down by Okomfo Anokye. He established a new great court at Kumasi to rival the legacy of Abankesieso. His death, however, was as dramatic as his life. In c. 1717, while leading his army against the Akyem, one of the former “mini-states” that had joined his coalition but later challenged Asante authority, Osei Tutu was killed. Tradition states he was struck by a sniper’s bullet while crossing the River Pra in a canoe. His death was a devastating blow, but a testament to his lifelong commitment: he died on campaign, defending the empire born from war. The fate of Okomfo Anokye is shrouded in the mystery that defined him. After ensuring a smooth succession for Opoku Ware I, the next Asantehene, the legendary priest simply vanished from public record. Some accounts say he returned to his homeland in Akwapim; others believe he withdrew from public life to live in secluded meditation. The most powerful legends, however, claim he did not die at all but simply disappeared into the earth or the sky, fulfilling his own doctrine of belonging by returning to the “bare earth” from whence he said all Asante came. Together, they left behind a legacy far greater than themselves. They did not just win a battle; they engineered a nation. The state they founded—born in the shadow of Abankesieso out of the sheer necessity of war and an unyielding desire to be free—did not perish with them. Under Opoku Ware I and his successors, the Asante Empire flourished, becoming one of the most powerful, economically sophisticated, and politically complex states in all of African history. The Golden Stool endures as the soul of the nation. The name Asante remains a permanent memorial to its origin. And the answer to “Where are you from?” continues to bind a people together, a lasting monument to the visionary priest and the prince who turned a personal rivalry forged in a great court into a national revolution. Their work was complete. The war was over. Every Akan was set free and the empire had begun.