Adoma Akosua

Last updated
Adoma Akosua
Ashanti Emblem.png
Emblem of the Ashanti Empire
Born1773
Kumasi
Diedc. 1838
Kumase
NationalityOyoko clan
Occupation Asantehemaa

Adoma Akosua (born 1773) was the fifth Asantehemaa of the Ashanti kingdom in West Africa. Born in 1773 into the Oyoko clan, where the kingdom's rulers are traditionally chosen, she came from a branch that had been banished and excluded from the succession. In 1807, due to a lack of male heirs in the other lineages, the clan ended its exile; Adoma and her relatives were once again allowed to reside in the capital. In 1809, she ascended to the throne of Asantehemaa, Queen Mother. From 1817, she conspired to overthrow the king (the Asantehene), who had departed on a military campaign against the Gyaman. [1] [2]

Contents

Her conspiracy failed, and she was deposed in favor first of her sister-in-law Amma Sewaa, then of her cousin Yaa Dufi. [2]

She probably died in 1838, although official discourse says she was executed by ritual strangulation in 1819. [2]

Background

Seat of the Queen Mother on display at the Children's Museum of Indianapolis The Childrens Museum of Indianapolis - Queen Mothers stool.jpg
Seat of the Queen Mother on display at the Children's Museum of Indianapolis

She was born in Kumasi in 1773 and rose to become queen mother of the kingdom of Ashanti in 1809 following the death of the incumbent Konadu Yaadom. Although there were several suitable candidates including her younger sister called Ama Serwaa who later became a queen mother herself, her position as senior of the royal women in her generation gave her the clear advantage to succeed Konadu Yaadom. [3]

Death

Adoma Akosua formed a relationship with the Chief of Bron with the intention of overthrowing King Osei Bonsu and helping the chief of Bron to assume the position. King Osei Bonsu had left for a military expedition against the people of Gyaaman and entrusted the civil government of the kingdom of Ashanti in the hands of Adoma Akosua. In his absence, Adoma Akosua performed King Osei Bonsu's funeral rites with the belief that the performance will afflict him so that he will die as a result. [4] Other sources suggest she wanted to overthrow the Osei Bonsu for one of her two sons to assume the kingship. [5]

Her rebellion was quelled when by a loyalist of King Bonsu when he returned to the capital. [2] Adoma Akosua was banished from the royal ward and she died in 1838 after serving as queen mother for 10 years between 1809 and 1819. [1]

Although official literature has said that she was strangled to avoid spilling royal blood, according to Akyeampong, "asantehemaa, Adoma Akosua, was not ordered to be strangled. She was replaced in office by Yaa Dufi. The former queen mother was required to live in the Nkwantanan ward of Kumase, and her descendants were barred forever from the offices of Asantehene and Asantehem." [2]

Related Research Articles

Yaa Asantewaa I was the Queen Mother of Ejisu in the Ashanti Empire, now part of modern-day Ghana. She was appointed by her brother Nana Akwasi Afrane Okese, the Edwesuhene, or ruler, of Edwesu. In 1900, she led the Ashanti war also known as the War of the Golden Stool, or the Yaa Asantewaa War of Independence, against the British Empire.

Osei Bonsu also known as Osei Tutu Kwame was the Asantehene. He reigned either from 1800 to 1824 or from 1804 to 1824. During his reign as the king, the Ashanti fought the Fante confederation and ended up dominating Gold Coast trade. In Akan, Bonsu means whale, and is symbolic of his achievement of extending the Ashanti Empire to the coast. He died in Kumasi, and was succeeded by Osei Yaw Akoto.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II</span> Ghanaian monarch of Asante

Osei Tutu II is the 16th Asantehene, enstooled on 26 April 1999. By name, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II is in direct succession to the 17th-century founder of the Ashanti Empire, Otumfuo Osei Tutu I. He is also the Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Otumfuo Osei Tutu II is the Grand Patron of the Grand Lodge of Ghana and the Sword Bearer of the United Grand Lodge of England.

Osei Kwame Panyin was the ruler of the Ashanti Empire from 1777 to 1801, holding the title of Asantehene. His reign was marred by uprisings, which would eventually lead to his suicide in 1803 to prevent an Ashanti civil war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden Stool</span> Throne of Ashanti kings

The Golden Stool is the royal and divine throne of kings of the Ashanti people and the ultimate symbol of power in Asante. According to legend, Okomfo Anokye, High Priest and one of the two chief founders of the Asante Confederacy, caused the stool to descend from the sky and land on the lap of the first Asante king, Osei Tutu. Such seats were traditionally symbolic of a chieftain's leadership, but the Golden Stool is believed to house the spirit of the Asante nation—living, dead and yet to be born.

Osei Kwadwo was the 4th Asantehene of the Ashanti Empire who reigned from 1764 to 1777. Osei Kwadwo was elected in replacement of Kusi Obodom who was removed out of power.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashanti Empire</span> Former Akan empire centred on present-day Ghana

The Asante Empire, today commonly called the Ashanti Empire, was an Akan state that lasted from 1701 to 1901, in what is now modern-day Ghana. It expanded from the Ashanti Region to include most of Ghana and also parts of Ivory Coast and Togo. Due to the empire's military prowess, wealth, architecture, sophisticated hierarchy and culture, the Ashanti Empire has been extensively studied and has more historic records written by European, primarily British, authors than any other indigenous culture of sub-Saharan Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mensa Bonsu</span> Asantehene of Asanteman

Mensa Bonsu was the tenth king of the Ashanti Empire, from 1874 until his forced abdication on 8 March 1883.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prempeh I</span> Asantehene of Asanteman

Prempeh I was the thirteenth king ruler of the Ashanti Empire and the Oyoko Abohyen Dynasty. King Prempeh I ruled from March 26, 1888 until his death in 1931, and fought an Ashanti war against Britain in 1895-6.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Opoku Ware II</span> Asantehene of Asanteman

Otumfuo Opoku Ware II was the 15th Asantehene. He succeeded his uncle Osei Tutu Agyeman Prempeh II on 27 July 1970. He ruled for 29 years until his death in February 1999. He was succeeded by Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asante people</span> Nation and ethnic group in Ghana

The Asante, also known as Ashanti, are part of the Akan ethnic group and are native to the Ashanti Region of modern-day Ghana. Asantes are the last group to emerge out of the various Akan civilisations. Twi is spoken by over nine million Asante people as a first or second language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manhyia Palace</span> Palace in Kumasi, Ashanti Region, Ghana

The Manhyia Palace is the seat of the Asantehene, as well as his official residence. It is located at Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti Region. The first palace is now a museum. Otumfuor Opoku Ware II built the new palace, which is close to the old one and is used by the current Asantehene, Otumfuor Osei Tutu II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Osei Tutu Agyeman Prempeh II</span> Asantehene

Prempeh II, was the 14th Asantehene, or king of the Ashanti, reigning from 22 June 1931 to 27 May 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akrafena</span> Ashanti swords originating from Ghana

An Akrafena is an Ashanti sword, originally meant for warfare but also forming part of Ashanti heraldry. The foremost example of an akrafena is the Mponponsuo, which belonged to Opoku Ware II. It has survived to the present day because it is still occasionally used in ceremonies, such as the Akwasidae Festival.

Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II was the Queen mother (Ohemaa) of the Ashanti Kingdom and mother of the current Asantehene, Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II, who is the youngest son of her five children. She was the 13th Queen mother of the Ashanti Kingdom.

Yaa Akyaa was an Asantehemaa of the Ashanti Empire in 1884-1896. She had great influence during the reign of her son, and acted as his de facto co-regent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Afua Kobi</span>

Afua Kobi was an Asantehemaa of the Ashanti Empire.

Nana Konadu Yiadom III is the 14th Asantehemaa of the Asante people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Konadu Yaadom</span> Asantehemaa (queen-mother) of Asante

Konadu Yaadom, also Kwadu Yaadom was the fourth Asantehemaa of the Ashanti Empire, whose multiple marriages and spiritual influence meant that she became an important and powerful ruler in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.

The Asantehemaa is the queen mother according to West African custom, who rules the Asante people alongside the Asantehene. African queen mothers generally play an important role in local government; they exercise both political and social power. Their power and influence have declined considerably since pre-colonial times, but still persist in the 21st century.

References

  1. 1 2 Gates, Professor Henry Louis Jr.; Akyeampong, Professor Emmanuel; Niven, Mr Steven J. (2012-02-02). Dictionary of African Biography. OUP USA. ISBN   9780195382075.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Akyeampong, Emmanuel; Obeng, Pashington (1995). "Spirituality, Gender, and Power in Asante History". The International Journal of African Historical Studies. 28 (3): 481–508. doi:10.2307/221171. ISSN   0361-7882. JSTOR   221171.
  3. ↑ Wilks, Ivor (1989-09-29). Asante in the Nineteenth Century: The Structure and Evolution of a Political Order. CUP Archive. ISBN   9780521379946.
  4. ↑ Pescheux, Gérard (2003). Le royaume asante (Ghana): parenté, pouvoir, histoire, XVIIe-XXe siècles (in French). KARTHALA Editions. ISBN   9782845864221.
  5. ↑ Asantesem: The Asante Collective Biography Project Bulletin. Program of African Studies, Northwestern University. 1979.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.