MAY I4, 1932 THE GOLD COAST INDEPENDENT PAGES 552 – 553
ECHOES OF THE WINNEBA STOOL SUCCESSION DISPUTE: FALSE AND FICTITIOUS ELECTORS LIST BY NANA AYIREBI ACQUAH III PROTEST.

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Winneba

14th March 1932.

Sir,

RE-ELECTORS LIST FOR THE WINNEBA (EFFUTU) STATE.

We, the undersigned for and on behalf of ourselves and other members of Otu-Ano stool family, do hereby most respectfully but strongly protest against the electors list: namely list of persons and positions the holders of which are entitled according to Winneba (Effutu) State as submitted by Oma-Odefe-Ayirebi Acquah III, and his State Council and published in the Gold Coast Government Gazette No.22 or 1931 dated March 28th 1931, for the following reasons:

• That the whole list as published is nothing short of subversion as well as perversion of the Winneba (Effutu) customs and constitution having regard to the innovations sought to be introduced thereby which are liable to provoke unrest and recurrent dispute in Winneba inimical to its political peace and totally detrimental to the Otu- Ano or Ghartey Family.
• That according to Winneba (Effutu) custom, nomination of the stool candidate is done by the Otu-Ano Royal Kingmakers and presented to the two companies in Winneba Town namely, Tuafo and Dentsifo (No. 1 and No.2 companies) and the Tufuhene and other chiefs of the State who constitute the accredited Winneba or Simpa State Council and not by the fictitious Council composed of Gyasehene, Obomaa, Mbabanyin and Apamhene or Omanpanyin as alleged by the Electors list. According to remarks of Captain Crownwell J.P., Commandant of Winneba dated June 1858 on Native Law and Custom in accordance with instructions received in a circular that year concerning kings he said: -‘Kings are elected by the Otu-Ano kingmakers and are generally chosen from the family of the deceased king. The king’s eldest son generally is placed on the stool provided the people have no dislike to him, if so, some other man is chosen by popular vote from the king’s family… the stool belongs to the people’.
• That the titles Nkyidomhene, Adontihene, Nifahene, Benkumhene, Twafohene,are all foreign and absolutely unknown to the customs and constitution of Winneba (Effutu) State and indisputably they neither appear in official reports and findings of Two secretaries for Native Affairs Honourable J.Y. Furley as here under quoted respectively and your reference to which we humbly crave.
• That it is abundantly clear from the findings of Honourable F. Crowther and Honourable J.T. Furley secretaries for Native Affairs officially appointed by His Excellency the Governor with commission to investigate and enquire into Winneba Stool dispute, that the enstoolment ceremony according to the established practice has never taken place at Ayeribi House as alleged to be the ‘stool House’ as published, but it has always been taking place at Otu- Ano where the ancient stool of Winneba (Effutu) state is kept and on which stool all the previous Paramount chiefs were installed and on which the present Oma-Odefo Honourable Ayirebi Acquah III, himself also was installed by Osowu (priest) Kwesi Feyin, and not by the invented Nkyidomhene,or Gyasihene. In this connection, Honourable F.Crowther S.N.A. wrote in his findings of Februaary 20th 1913, page 2.-

“in the ancient and dilapidated hovel known as Otu-anu in a chamber having an entrance not more than four feet high the fetishes penin-Jan and Penche-Otu are kept under cloths on shelf in the front of each is the stool of the fetiche – the Stool which the spirit is believed to occupy. Under the shelf are piled the skulls of the deer killed in the Aboa-kyre custom and the implements used in the WI custom. In the box at the side of these and wrapped in cloth is all that remains of a very ancient stool. The seat, or portion of one leg and storn are all that time has preserved. This stool the Ghartey Family maintain is the ancient stool occupied by Botsi Komfu Amu and his predecessors. Robertson admits that at his enstoolment as Acquah II he was placed on this thrice by the priest.”

And again, on page 3, he records: –

“I am of the opinion therefore that prior to some date about 120 years ago, the office of priest and chief were combined and that the ancient stool upon which at Otu-anu is the ancient stool of the dual office upon which the chiefs are still enstooled. That after the death of Botsi Komfu Amu, as in Accra and Awuna, it was decided to separate the office of chief and priest and that therefore the first chief who was not a priest was Gyanpenin II whose stool, except the priestly stool, is the earliest now preserved.”

Findings of the officially appointed Arbitrators composed of six chiefs namely Eduafu II of Legu, Kofi Tawiah of Nyakrom, Kweku Issiw III of Senya Berracoe, Wyetey Agyiman II of Awutu Berreku, Ansah Fua of Gomoa-Edwumanku, Ankobia of Buduatta and Rev. J.O. Hammond, says: ‘The Arbitrators are of opinion that the ancient stool is the one at Otu-anu (Unanimously).’

The foregoing quotations confirm clause ‘C’ of the conditions in the Findings of Honourable J.T. Furley S.N.A which came to us from His Excellency the present Governor A.R. Slater’s (then Acting) final conditions of 1919. Reading: ‘I do not consider that it is sufficiently strong at present to justify recognition by Government of the permanent adoption of succession in the female line and taking the position as it is now is. I think Sackeys’s nomination can only be recognised on the following conditions: –

• That his election will be without prejudice to a consideration of the claims of the Ghartey family in future when occasion requires and when another vacancy occurs.
• That the abandonment of the system of alternation on this occasion is not therefore to be taken as a permanent one or necessarily as a precedent.’
• That similarly as his predecessors in the same line were, Sackey’s nomination ceremonies must include that of formal installation of the ancient stool at Otu-anu, that of Bondsi Abe be the priests

“If these conditions are accepted by Sackey and supported I am prepared to recommend that his installation may be allowed to proceed, due precautions being taken of the preservation of the peace. If not accepted the stool will have to remain vacant until agreement for the permanent settlement of the line of succession can be arrived at’.

(Bondsi Abe mentioned in clause ‘C’ hereof was the first priest-king and founder of Winneba as per list of Winneba dynasty following: – See Crowther’s Findings).

It is on record that Gyhadze was settled before Nsuekyir, but the two re the oldest of the Simpa settlements to be founded outside the mainland Simpa. Oral records show that Opanyin Kwei from Awutu Bereku founded Kweikrom but because he married from Assin they adopted the Akan tradition from the Gomoa people. He led his younger siblings; Opanyin Kwesi Heitey Abokuade, from Obokoade meaning “you have this much” and his four brothers to migrate from Awutu Beraku into Simpa territory. Here Abokuade pitched camp close to the rocks further down the Egya Eduba hills and cultivated the low-lying areas to the west of the Ayensu River just before its estuary and extending to his camp. Abokuade was also a fetish priest who treated the people of Simpa of various ailments. Oral records say that in a bad weather while burning his field, he burnt the only krobo tree (ornamental plant used for body decoration during special ceremonies).

This was the only one in the area and was greatly used by the entire Simpa populace. He was fined to pay £8:8sh which he could not pay. Abokuade was saved by the Tuafo asafo men who paid for him. Out of this trouble he abandoned his camp and relocated to the area close to the Gyaha pond where he founded Gyahadze in its present location. Hence it is recorded that Gyahadze was populated by Tuafo. It is believed that some of the Tuafo men followed him to establish at the present gyahadze location. Opanyin Kwesi Heitey Abokuade came along with his fetish, Kum, from which he obtained spiritual powers for his herbal treatment practice. When he founded Gyahadze, the Royal house became the Kumano family comprising his sons and their descendants as the royal house of Gyahadze.

Hailing from Awutu with a Guan origin, succession to the stool is patrilineal. Currently, the stool is occupied by Nana Heitey III on whose installation the stool was elevated to the Gyase (home guard) division of the Effutu state in 1998. Many spiritualists have practiced at Gyahadze. It is also said that a nephew of Abokuade, in the days of no vehicles and so no roads, Akwanbo festival (path clearing) was used to provide a safe passage way for movement of persons between communities.

Oral records say that during one such exercise, Opanyin Kojo Mensah came across a substance much like a small rock. He threw it away but it re-emerged along the path. It is said that though he discarded it again, this substance eventually surfaced in his room glittering in the night. Further probe into it showed that it was fetish but he gave it to Opanyin Kobena Nyarko who used it to establish the Asaaseano shrine. To date this shrine continues to serve the spiritual and herbal treatment needs of the people of Simpa and its environs. The spirituality of Gyahadze makes it a taboo to rear pigs, dogs and goats in the village. Pounding of fufu after 6.00pm is prohibited. Farming on Mondays as well as fishing on Tuesdays is not allowed. Women in their menstrual periods are prohibited from going to the Gyaha pond or any other water body around the village. The people of Gyahadze celebrate the Akomase festival where they hunt for a live grasscutter to propitiate the Kumano stool.

Gyahadze is a fetish and farming community. Popular deities include the Kumano shrine and Asaase ano. Farming activities include the cultivation of maize, vegetables, cassava and ground nuts being the chief crop. In the last century, the village has been noted to provide immense assistance during the preparation of chiefs to be installed on the Otuano Paramount stool at Simpa.

The ancestral origins of the people of Gyangyanadze are Nana Ahum Kakra and Payin and their sister, Saakowa who migrated from Enyan Abaasa to Simpa where they were directed by the Omanhen (Paramount Chief) of Simpa to join their people at Nsuekyir; people of the Fante extraction. Following discontent with the association at Nsuekyir, they moved out to establish a new community further eastwards at Potodo(deep mud). Opanyin Okoofi Amponsah, an Agona clansman from Ekumfi Andansi married Saakowa and begat Ackom. Oral records indicate that following the capture of both Kofi Amponsah and Ackom by the Ashantis, it was Ackom who managed to escape but his father was beheaded. Back home he did not join his people but started his herbal and spiritual work to the outskirts of Simpa under a big tree.

His clients who stayed longer also put up similar huts to pass the time while under treatment. It is said that whenever the tree under which he practiced his vocation was pruned, within a short time it grew back to its original state. This made the people remark that ‘dua yi ye dua gyangyan’ (this is “this is a useless tree”). The treatment was given under the “ogyangyan” tree (gyangyan-adze). Those who wanted to seek medication from Akom always made reference to this tree. His growing popularity caused his people at Pɔtɔdɔ to join him making the new settlement to grow larger; it was always identified by the Ogayangyan tree as Gyangyanadze.

Family members of Okoofi Amponsah came back to litigate with the people of Ackom in an attempt to take control of the new settlement. Their failure led them in anger to move out of Simpa to settle at Fawomanye (meaning take your land) on the other side of Kwanyarko along the Ayensu River. The ancestors of the people of Gyangyanadze were Fante, belonging to the Aboradze clan of Enyan Abaasa and therefore succession to the stool at Gyangyanadze is matrilineal. The Gyangyanadze stool was elevated to the Krontir division of the Effutu State in 2000 with the investiture of the last chief, Nana Ekwam II. He died in 2012 and the stool as at present is vacant.

The main taboos are that people are prohibited from going to farm on Mondays and Wednesdays. There is also the menstruation taboo where women in their monthly period are prohibited from going into the palace or to the stream to fetch water.

Because of the spiritual treatment provided by Opanyin Ackom, it was a taboo to rear pigs in the settlement. The village joins the Paramountcy in celebrating the annual Aboakyer festival. The stool of the Royal Aboradze clan is propitiated just after the Effutu Akomase in September annually.

Ateitu was settled around the reign of Nana Tawiah Ababio I of Essuekyir in the late 1800. Oral records say that a hunter, Opanyin Kweku Abbam from Essuekyir who has been hunting in the thickets below the hills of Egya Eduba decided to stay instead of his daily trip to Essuekyir and back to continue his hunting. He first settled with his wife Obaapanyin Aba Awurogya and later invited his siblings; Kojo Doughan and Kwame Dadze and their families to join him. Opanyin Kweku Abbam had nine children (four being female) with his first wife, Obaapanyin Aba Awurogya and eight children from his second marriage with Maame Adjoa Kum.

This large family enabled him to grow the settlement he had started. The name Ateitu is known to have been derived from the practice by the asafo in collecting herbs on Friday for their final preparation towards the Aboakyer hunt annually. The grove is referred to ate otu; ate meaning egya in Akan (father), implying Otu’s grove. Other narrations tell of the founder, a hunter who went to hunt with the son and both saw a game which they wanted to shoot. While the father said he had a good sight of it the son said to his father, dad if you say so then just shoot in Efutu as ate onkaa tum! But this story has been discounted as the source of the name Ateitu in the records.

The settlement maintained strong links with their homeland Nsuekyir through the performance of the ‘Akwanbo’ festival (literally path clearing) and fishing rites in the Oyibi Lagoon. These rites were performed jointly with the people of Atekyedo. By custom, when Opanyin Abbam died, Opanyin Kweku Nnekyi was elected head of the new settlement. On one such occasion, when the elders of Ateitu and their people got to Nsuekyir, the people from Atekyedo were not yet in. They were therefore asked to go back. It was learnt that soon after they had left, the Atekyedo people arrived and the rites were performed with them only. Opanyin Nnekyi went to enquire why they were not made to participate but was told in a proverbial language that “sɛ w’ano war a mmfa nndzidzi wɔ nsu afa” implying Ateitu was coming from the other side of the river as against the two communities; Nsuekyir and Atekyedo, hence they should not use their long mouth to eat from the other side of the river.

Appreciating what this was meant to mean, Opanyin Nnekyi and his elders created annual rites of their own at their settlement. Opanyin Nnekyi was succeeded by Opanyin KwaoTeiku and after him came Opanyin Kojo Abbam who swore the oath of allegiance to King Ghartey V, then Paramount Chief of Winneba as the first substantive Odefe of Ateitu. Because it was a male who founded this settlement, they adopted the patrilineal system of succession of Simpa at Ateitu leaving behind the matrilineal system of succession at Nsuekyir.A man by name Opanyin Odwenyin came from Amisah ano to settle at Simpa. He lived with Opanyin Annobil Kuma at Kofi ano and married Aba Afriba. Opanyin Odwenyin later went to stay with his father-in-law, Nana Abbam at Ateitu around 1901. He was given a place to cultivate and this area grew into another village now called Ekrofor (new town) just by Ateitu. Opanyin Odwenyin was blessed with four children. Those who later joined this family included a brother of Aba Afriba and Opanyin Kwesi Eguase who also married Nkomade and begat three children.

These families facilitated the growth of Ekrofor but customarily both communities; Ateitu and Ekrofor, performed rites together for several years. The present occupant of the stool is Neenyi Obosu II known in private life as William Doughan. He is the current chairman of the local branch of the GPRTU and a driver by profession.

Sankor, lies to the east of mainland Simpa. The ancestral origins of the people of Sankor are from Dwomo Addo and his brothers, Ndawurah Jakpa and the Tetteh brothers who hailed from the female line of the original settlers of Simpa who camped at Sakoodo close to Otuano. Historical records show that Neenyi Kojo Tetteh, the first of the chiefs to be officially gazetted by the government was in 1913 implying that from the time of settlement to that stage of its development, Sankor was settled close to the time of Ateitu in the late 1800’s. It is known that the prominence of Sankor in Simpa history was based on the practice of Opayin Kojo Tetteh Kyikyibi as a native doctor. He put up a single silo which people seeking treatment there referred to as ‘ɔsae kor’ (one silo). Out of this the emerging community got its name, Sankor. On 23rd July 1961, following the Ayensu floods, some of the relations from Old Tuansa who were farming there were evacuated and settled at Sankor. The people of Sankor are therefore both farmers and fishermen.

Succession to the Sankor stool is patrilineal. Those on the lineage who have occupied the stool are from the Tetteh, Ehun and Addo paternal house at Sankor. There is a special attraction, an exciting feature at Sankor, which is of significance to tourism; the opening and closure of the estuary of River Ayensu. By 5.00pm, the high tides gradually wash away the sand bar that blocks the river from entering the sea.

In a gradual manner, it opens the river into the sea. This is reversed during low tides that close the entrance of the river into the sea with a bar of sand. It is exciting to watch the opening in the evening. Paramount chiefs were bathed in the river and placed on a special stone at this estuary in readiness for outdooring. The stool is currently occupied by Neenyi Tetteh III known in private life as Isaac Newton Tetteh. A former store keeper and driver. He has investments in both inland and the open sea fishing. He was enstooled on 7th November, 1998.

Tuansa No.2 or New Tuansa was settled by Opanyin Kojo Tetteh, his children and siblings. This settlement was to create a new home from evacuees from the old Tuansa village following the 1961 Ayensu floods. It is a small village on the hill along the Winneba – Accra highway. They do farming along the Ayensu River as their main occupation.

Probably one of the early settlements outside main land Simpa but it’s fast growth and expansion made it to fuse with the main land Simpa. Though an independent village, many consider it as a suburb. The founder first settled at Pomakoko (a rocky terrain) in the early part of the C19th. Due to the disturbances from wild animals from the nearby thickets, he descended and drew closer to the outskirts of Simpa where the present village started. Opanyin Kojo Baidoo was a warrior and took part in the wars against the Ashanti invasion. As his settlement expanded, King Eguase honoured him by making him the Odzikro of the settlement

The village was named after the founder but in its corrupted form; Kojo Beedu. Following this he invited his siblings and their children to join him in establishing the village. He established a very large family of his own having married four women with whom he had ten children and many grandchildren. The environs of Kojo Beedu is very rocky.

This provides the people with loose chippings which is dug and cracked by the women for the construction industry. Some are also farmers cultivating vegetables and corn during the major raining season. The village also has a number of artisans and middle-class people resident there. Opanyin Kojo Baidoo was succeeded by Kwesi Eduful as Neenyi Baidoo from 1912 to 1959. The stool is presently occupied by Neenyi Beedu III after the demise of Neenyi Beedu II in 2013. Neenyi Beedu III is a retired Director of Education. His last post was Sefwi Wiawso in August 2001.

He had briefly served Winneba as Director from 1990 to 1997. he schooled at the A.M.E. Zion school in Winneba, then to the Kaneshie Sec Tech and the Accra Polytechnic. He left the KNUST in 1967 and studied at Hudderfield University in Brittain from 1979—1980 and for an the ACCIM degree at the Madras University, India in 1984.

There are a few villages lying on the outskirts of Simpa whose growth and development has not been associated with any special traditional event in Simpa. Ansafor on the Simpa-Swedru road was founded by Opanyin Sanful and his children. They migrated from Nsuekyir to establish this settlement.

Atekyedo was established by Kwa Amponsah also from Nsuekyir who married from Gyahadze. The settlement is within the flood plains of the Ayensu River; a condition that has greatly influenced the growth and development of the village. The patriarchal family is the Amponsah family.

Osubonpanyin is said to have been settled by people whose origins are traced from the Volta Region of Ghana. They first settled with the people of Buwekyir in Simpa. They were attracted to their present site by the vast growth of date palm with which they made hand woven hats from its fronds. They were master craftsmen and made a lot of income from this business. Popular names from origins within the royal family are Kwaako, Pekiti, Paako, Teiko and Tagoe.

There are a cluster of villages lying further westwards along the Simpa-Agona Swedru road which include Kwenua & Bombirto. These are farming settlements which date as far back as the settlement of Simpa. Today it is this region of Simpa that produces the bulk of sugar cane for the production of local gin; Apeteshi. Most of the people were not resident leading to an invasion by the expanding Gomoa people. This has embroiled this area in decades of land litigation. Altogether, the area is referred to as New Winneba.

The Apow Odefe (Apofohen) is the chief for the fishing community of Simpa, thought to have been created during the reign of Bondze Esiedu as a divisional stool for the Obir Kuma prama. It was Obir Kuma who left the ancestral house; next door to Otuano, to establish the new prama now referred to as Prama Tsentsenso (there are two houses but the larger earned this title). Their ancestors trace their descent from the Bondze (anglicised Bonney) gate of Otuano. The main function of the Apow Odefe is to manage the fishing community along the shores of Simpa. It involves conflict management emanating from misunderstandings between local fishermen or between them and migratory fishermen on temporary residence at Simpa, collection of fish landing taxes and the propitiation of the deities concerned with fishing.

The Apow Odefe has a council composed of 12 elders (but now 16) half selected from each asafo company. These are generally referred to as Apow Nimpa (fishermen’s elders). The taxes vary in quantum depending on volume of fish landings; it could be a number of fish collected from each canoe at landing to a crate of fish. In general, some of this goes to the community. The main fish landing beaches are 1) Akosua village, 2) Penkye, 3) Eyipey, 4) Aboadze and 5) Woarab?ba village. Two special ceremonies are performed under the aegis of the Council of the Apow Odefe regards maintaining the fishing business of the Simpa people. Between July and August, a special propitiatory rite is performed known as wró (to appease all the gods to bless the coming major fishing season with good catch). The next is the sacrifice to the deity, Bomo Ewusi (the god of the sea).

Finally, is the sacrifice to the deity of the Obir Kuma prama (Prama Tsentsenso); it was hitherto known as Ewur (local name of the tortoise), hence this same prama was sometimes referred to as Ewur prama after its deity. The animal used annually is the tortoise for this sacrifice. These rites are financed by the Apow Odefe from accrued funds to his Council but during periods of low fish landings, levies are applied.

became prominent during the reign of Acquah II. However, it is said that the Kweemu prama was established by Obor Kwesi Atta whose responsibility was to alert the Otuano house of anything strange to the community from their vantage location. The stool was given full recognition during the reign of King Henry Acquah (Kwesi Eguase). The popular Chief Annobil succeeded his father in 1877. He became a close confidant of king Ghartey IV. In 1907 when Acquah II was destooled, Chief Annobil, the Twafohen, was made the Acting Oma Odefe. He was reputed to have been a rigid constitutionalist. When Acquah II was re-instated 1914 and later died in 1916, Chief Annobil again assumed office as Acting Oma Odefe. The prama has a special mpintsin royal drums which they perform for the Kings of Simpa.

This stool was created before the death of King Henry Acquah I (1858-1870) is now the Benkum stool of the Effutu Traditional Area. This stool is currently vacant.

The stool was created 1998. The first to occupy this stool, Neenyi Afona I is known in private life as Frank Enninful. He is a retired officer of the special unit at the seat of government responsible for civil maintenance works.

It is believed that the Richardson family migrated from Dwemba to Winneba around 1800. They were a merchant family and travelled across this region trading and making benevolent support to the needy. They traded in cocoa, natural rubber latex and palm kernel for shipment through Winneba. Oral records show that Kow Esibuah rose to prominence in 1830 as a kind-hearted person who always had time to visit those he showed benevolence. He was asked to settle at the present Abasraba (b?sra wommba – to visit ones children), a gesture that was to entice him to further his kindness to the poor people of Simpa. The colonial government gave him the opportunity to serve on the jury at the court and was very helpful to the local authority which made his status to be elevated to that of the chief of Abasraba. The stool is currently occupied by Neenyi Esibuah III known in private life as Mr. Ben Richardson. He is a retired accountant of the Treasury Department.

Following the need to have an officer of stool occupant status to serve the Paramountcy as a liaison/protocol or public relations capacity, Neenyi Ghartey VII created this stool in 2005. This office ensures that all strangers, VIP guests and arrangements for travels and other ceremonial arrangements both in and out of Simpa are effectively managed or coordinated. The first occupant is Neenyi Afedzie of Kumano prama and residing at Ekuano. Neenyi Afedzie is a person with several trades; retired driver and member of the executive board of the GPRTU local branch, a past kente weaver, a fisherman and a contractor.

The King always spoke through a linguist. In Winneba, the position of linguist was not arbitrary but institutionalised by vesting it as a traditional role of two houses along asafo lines. The King had two linguists; one from each asafo company with the Tuafo presented by Kwei Kum prama and the Dentsewo by a second gate at Piat. During very important ceremonies both linguists are used but, in most cases, it was enough for one to be present. Therefore, baring situations under conflict times, a state linguist must come from one of these houses.

A recent creation and though intended for Mrs. Mercy Ghansah, she did not live to be honoured by the Effutu State. Mrs. Mercy Ghansah saw the need to educate the unfortunate young women who either dropped out of school or coulkd not have good passes to further their education. She established a vocational school to train these young ladies to acquire vocations like dress making and catering. This honour, thought of as a post humus went to the daughter, Mrs. Patricia Owusu. At Kojo Beedu where she resides she has continued the contributions the mother started to Effutu society.