The Asantehene, Nana Prempeh I, was enstooled King of the Ashanti Kingdom when he was just about 16 or 17 years of age. This was in March 1888, with the stool name Nana Kwaku Dua III, according to historical accounts.
This name, however, was later changed to Prempeh I. Because of the civil war that preceded his enstoolment, the chiefs who did not support him continued to cause trouble.
According to eaumf.org, among the states that opposed his enstoolment were Kokofu, Mampong, Nsuta, Adanse, and Dadiase. The states that supported him included Kumase, Bekwai, Dwaben, Edweso, Offinso, and Nkoranza.
The Edwesohene was the war general for Nana Prempeh’s faction during the civil war; therefore, after the war, his stool was elevated to paramount status. The other Asona towns within the Kingdom, which had previously served Kumase directly but had become scattered, were all placed under Edweso, as requested by Dikopim. (Dikopim’s request had not materialised during Nana Tutu’s reign because of opposition from the scattered Asona towns.)
According to oral tradition, the defeat of Atwereboana’s supporters made them desert their towns. The people of Kokofu crossed the Pra River into the Protectorate, while those from Mampong and Nsuta went to Atebubu. There was even an attempt by the people of Mampong to become British subjects.
This period coincided with the Scramble for Africa, and the British Government decided to colonise Asante by all means. The Governor wrote many letters to the King on the matter, but Nana Prempeh I did not yield to his suggestions because they were always accompanied by threats.
According to Kimble, in one of the letters the Government promised to pay the King six hundred pounds sterling (£600) per annum. It also promised to pay the chiefs of Mampong, Kokofu, Bekwai, Dwaben, and the Queen Mother a total of one thousand four hundred pounds sterling (£1,400) if they agreed to come under the British. However, if they refused, the Governor threatened to enstool Atwereboana, the rival claimant. This mixture of enticement and intimidation confused the King and the state.
The Kingdom had already decided on a policy of friendship with the British. That was why the Governor had been invited to attend Nana Prempeh’s enstoolment. However, it was not the duty of the British Government to appoint a King for Asante. Because of the threats, the King appointed an eight-man delegation to visit the Queen of Britain to have a frank discussion with her about the situation in the Gold Coast, particularly in the Asante Kingdom.
According to Claridge, the delegation consisted of the following: John Ansa, Albert Ansa, Nana Kwame Boaten, Nana Kwaku Fokuo (a linguist), Kwaku Nkroma, Kwabena Bonna, Agyapon Daban, and Kwadwo Tufour.
The Governor tried to persuade them to abandon the journey and discuss the matter with him, insisting that he represented the Crown in the Gold Coast. They refused and left for England, motivated by the threatening tone of the Governor’s letters. They wanted to hear directly from the Queen, not her representative. They were prepared to clarify their customs to the Queen of England to restore peace.
The Governor warned them that the Queen would not welcome them, but they took this as another threat. They did not know that the King had been portrayed as a cruel ruler who practised human sacrifice, a reputation that guaranteed they would not be received. Still, they insisted on going to see the Queen and travelled to England. When they arrived, they tried for six months to obtain an audience but were refused.
Meanwhile, the Governor at the time, Mr. Branford-Griffiths, was transferred and replaced by Mr. William Maxwell. The new Governor was instructed to send the following message to Nana Prempeh I:
1. He should allow a British resident representative in Kumase.
2. He should open his trade routes to all and allow free trade in the Asante district.
3. He should stop human sacrifice.
4. He should honour the Fomena Treaty by paying the Government £175,000 (equivalent to the 50,000 ounces of gold stated in the treaty).
5. He should allow any state in his Kingdom that wished to secede and come under the British to do so without intimidation.
The Governor’s letter gave the King a few days to reply. Eight days after the deadline, Nana Prempeh I responded that he had received the letter but could not give a full reply until his delegates returned from Britain. On receiving this reply, the Governor decided to use force to bring Asante under the British flag.
The messengers returned to the Gold Coast in December 1895 without seeing the Queen. When they arrived in Accra, they observed preparations by the Governor for an expedition to Kumase. Fearing the consequences, they met the Governor and agreed to welcome a British representative in Kumase. They accepted all the terms in the Governor’s letter and asked him to cancel the planned military expedition. The Governor refused, insisting that he needed to meet the King himself. He said he would proceed to Kumase with his troops and that if the King was unhappy about their arrival, he should meet him at Praso to negotiate a new treaty. He also demanded that the King pay all expenses of the expedition.
The messengers returned to report to the King and Asanteman, who awaited the Governor’s arrival. According to Claridge, the King and his chiefs resolved to fight the British again. While they waited, the King dressed two of his children as hostages and sent them to the Governor at Praso, hoping that this gesture would make the Governor and his troops return. However, knowing that Asante did not practise paternal inheritance, the Governor rejected the offer. The King then sent his linguist, Nana Fokuo, and Nana Boaten to plead with the Governor to return, but he refused and advanced with his men.
The Governor and his troops crossed the River Pra on 11 January 1896. They were met by the Chief of Bekwai, Nana Yaw Boaten, and the Chief of Abodom, who made a treaty with him and accepted British protection. They received British flags, one of which was hoisted in the chief’s palace at Bekwai. The Chief of Adanse, Nana Kwaku Nkansa, had already accepted British protection on 18 October 1895.
When the King heard that some chiefs had joined the Governor, Nana Prempeh I and the remaining chiefs decided to accept the British flag. They waited for the Governor’s arrival to proclaim their acceptance and request the appointment of a British representative in Kumase. When the King heard that the soldiers would reach Kumase on 17 January, he summoned his chiefs to a great durbar to welcome the Governor. They arrived at 9:00 AM and waited until 5:00 PM, only to learn that the Governor would arrive the next day. The force that arrived on 17 January consisted of 1,322 Europeans and 1,800 Africans, including Hausas, Fantes, and men from Adanse and Bekwai.
When the Governor arrived on 18 January, he sent a message to the King that he was tired and they should return home and mount the durbar on 20 January. The King and his elders planned to use the durbar to proclaim their acceptance of British rule and welcome the resident representative. They did not know the true intentions behind the Governor’s military escort.
On the appointed day, the King and his chiefs arrived early at the durbar grounds. To their surprise, they found soldiers everywhere. The soldiers separated the chiefs from their attendants, allowing only the chiefs and a few elders to proceed to the platform. Sensing danger, the King and his chiefs became uneasy. After a while, the Governor arrived, greetings were exchanged, and he delivered his message: he had come to invite the King and his subjects to accept British rule. He also stated that they had not honoured the Fomena Treaty and demanded payment of the 50,000 ounces of gold.
The King and his chiefs were stunned; they had not expected a demand for repayment. While they deliberated, John Ansa, leader of the Asante delegation to London, whispered something to the King. Moments later, the King and the Queen Mother rose and bowed before the Governor, touching his shoes. After returning to their seats, the King declared that he and his subjects had accepted British rule. Concerning the 50,000 ounces of gold, the King said that he would pay but had no funds immediately. He offered 600 ounces of gold (£2,000). The Governor rejected this, arguing that if the King could fund a delegation to England, he could pay the debt.
When no payment came, the Governor ordered the arrest of the King, the Queen Mother, the King’s father, his brother, two heirs to the throne, two linguists, the King’s interpreter, the chiefs of Bantama, Asafo, Mampong, Offinso, Edweso, and several of the King’s wives and attendants.
Records from the archives indicate that the people arrested and deported included the following:
1. Nana Akwasi Agyemang Prempeh – King of Asante
2. Nana Yaa Akyaa – The King’s mother and Queen Mother of Asante
3. Nana Appea Osokye – Chief of Mampong
4. Nana Kwadwo Kwahu (alias Kwadwo Appia) – Chief of Offinso
5. Nana Kofi Afrane (alias Kofi Mensa) – Chief of Edweso
6. Nana Kwame Amankwaatia II – Chief of Bantama (war chief – Kontihene)
7. Nana Asafo Boakye – Chief of Asafo (war chief and Akwamuhene)
8. Nana Kofi Subri – Akyempemhene
9. Nana Kwabena Agyekum – Oyokohene
10. Nana Kwasi Gyambibi – The King’s father
11. Nana Agyemang Badu – The King’s brother and Chief of Adum
12. Nana Akwasi Akuoko – Head Linguist of the King
13. Nana Boakye Ntansa – Chief of the royal bodyguards (Akonfrahene)
14. Mr. Francis Korsah – Interpreter to the King
15. Barema Yaw Konkroma
16. Kwaku Fokuo – The King’s linguist
17. Nana Kwaku Wusu – The King’s linguist
18. Kwame Kusi
19. Abena Kordie – The King’s wife
20. Amma Kwahan – The King’s wife
21. Kwasi Boakye – The King’s son
22. Kwame Yeboah – The King’s attendant
23. Kwabena Dabre – The King’s attendant
24. Kwame Asante – The King’s cook
25. Maame Mansa – The Queen Mother’s attendant
26. Maame Daaho – The Queen Mother’s attendant
27. Yaa Boatemaa – Wife of the Mamponghene (Chief of Mampong)
28. Kwaku Fokuo – Servant of the Mamponghene
29. Kwame Ware – Son of the Mamponghene
30. Akua Akyaamaa – Wife of the Bantamahene
31. Yaa Asokwa – Wife of the Bantamahene
32. Abrakatu – Servant of the Bantamahene
33. Daakowaa – Wife of the Asafohene (Chief of Asafo)
34. Nipade Yennow – Wife of the Asafohene
35. Ama Anowuo – Wife of the Asafohene
36. Kofi Mensa – Servant of the Asafohene
37. Dwaben Amma Serwaa – Wife of Subri
38. Kwaku Dua – Servant of Subri
39. Kwame Baafi – Son of Subri
40. Kwaku Boaten – Servant of Boakye Ntansa
41. Yaa Kordie – Wife of Boaten
42. Yaa Yennow – Wife of Agyeman Badu
43. Kwame Adu – Servant of Agyeman Badu
44. Kwabena Akroma – Servant of Agyeman Badu (Terchirehene)
45. Amma Serwaa – Wife of Fokuo
46. Kwasi Agyapon – The King’s half-brother
47. Kwame Oti – Servant
48. Kwame Awua – Servant
49. Maame Amma Dapaa
50. Akosua Akyem – From Mfensi
51. Akranyame – From Offinso
52. Maame Akua Afriyie
53. Adokuaa
54. Akua Agyeiwaa – Wife of the Offinsohene (Chief of Offinso)
55. Nana Kwame Boaten – Dominasehene (Chief of Dominase)
After the arrest, they were sent to Cape Coast Castle on February 1, 1896.
The greater parts of the contents of this article have been culled from eaumf.org, from a publication titled, ‘February 1, 1896: Exiled Prempeh I and his retinue arrive at Cape Coast Castle’
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