The history of Kumasi dates to the late 17th century when it emerged as the capital of the Ashanti Empire. Although various oral sources differ on the origin of Kumasi, majority agree it emerged as the capital of Ashanti under Osei Kofi Tutu I in the late 17th century. In the early 18th century, Kumasi was invaded and sacked by the Aowin but the invasion was curbed by Asantehene Opoku Ware I. 19th century written accounts by European visitors described the neatness and sophistication of the city. The population of Kumasi under the Ashanti Empire varies per source. The city was ransacked by the British Empire in 1874 during the Anglo-Ashanti Wars. A Civil war occurred within the 1880s which led to further decline of Kumasi. Another British invasion of the city occurred within 1895—1896 as Kumasi was left in ruins.
Ashanti became a formal colony of the British Empire in 1901. The city was modernised within this period with the construction of railways, universities, industries and hospitals. Around World War II, there was an influx of migrants into the city. The colonial government introduced new residential systems, parks and green belts. Within the mid 20th century, Kumasi was referred to as the "Garden City of West Africa."
After Ghana gained independence as a sovereign state, Kumasi has served as the capital of the Ashanti Region. It is the 2nd largest city in Ghana after Accra.
"The oldest house in Kumasi" by Thomas Edward Bowdich in 1817.
The Kingsway, in 1925.
Aerial view of Kumasi in 2003Kumasi was founded around 1680 or in the 1680s by Asantehene Osei Kofi Tutu I as the capital of the Ashanti Empire. [1] [2] [3] [4] Various accounts exist on the formation of the city. One states that Osei Tutu negotiated for the land under a Kum Tree. Hence, from which the name Kumasi derived from. [5] Other oral sources state it was Nana Oti Akenten who negotiated with the chief of Tafo for a plot of land under a Kum tree. [6] Other traditions indicate that Oti built Kwaman and it was his son Nana Obiri Yeboa who created Kumasi instead. The majority of oral sources attribute the choice of site to Okomfo Anokye who was said to have planted two Kum seeds; one in Kwaman and another in Kumawu as he decreed that the one which grew would be designated as the capital of Osei Tutu’s empire. [7] Kumasi was built over the eastern slopes of a ridge, rising from the marshes of the Nsuben rivers. [8]
In 1718–19, Aowin King Ebirimoro invaded Kumasi and sacked the capital. [10] Asantehene Opoku Ware I and his army were away from the capital in battlefield when news reached of the destruction of Kumasi. The Dutch in Axim recorded that the Aowin plundered the city's gold and captured 20,000 of its populace. A number of Kumasi's royals were killed in the invasion. [11] Opoku Ware was able to "beat back" this invasion. [12]
In 1816, Huydecooper described Kumasi as having clean and straight streets with "houses excellently built, the latter being fairly tall but for the most part only one story." [9] A year later, Thomas Edward Bowdich documented that the central city, with the exclusion of suburbs such as Bantama and Asafo - was oblong shaped and had a perimeter of approximately 4 miles. Four of its principal streets according to Bowdich, were half a mile long and about 50 to 100 yards wide. Bowdich also notes that Kumasi's streets were named and a "superior captain" was placed in charge of each street. [9] At the time of Bowdich's visit in 1817, Kumasi had 27 streets and by the mid-1880s, another source identified 50 streets. [13] The city had 77 wards and specific wards were inhabited by a particular class of artisans or workers. For instance, goldsmiths, umbrella makers, coffin makers, executioners and city patrollers resided in specific sections of the city. [14] The palace complex was located in the eastern quarter of the central city. [9] Bowdich refers to a piazza 200 yards long that "lines the interior of the wall secluding the palace." [9] For sanitation, Bowdich recorded the presence of public toilets on the outskirt of town and the existence of toilets in each house as well. They were "not unfrequently upstairs" and boiling water was poured in daily to prevent "the least offence." The waste of houses was burned behind the street every morning. [15] [16] In peaceful times, the red and white clay of buildings were regularly polished and renewed. [14] A uniformed police existed to maintain security. [17]
In 1820, William Hutton was disappointed with the ruinous condition of Kumasi. He concludes that this condition was because Asantehene Osei Bonsu and his major administrators had recently returned from the war against Gyaman. [15] It was during the reign of Osei Bonsu that Muslims from Islamic states in modern Ghana formed a permanent settlement in Kumasi. [18] The Muslim community in Kumasi was documented by Dupuis to have numbered around 1000 in 1820. [19] The first Islamic schools of the empire were founded in Kumasi within the early 19th century. [20]
Mid-19th century accounts of the city recognized its neatness and architectural style. In 1839, Thomas Birch Freeman wrote:
The streets are large and more clean than I have seen in any native town since my arrival in Africa. The breadth of some of them is at least thirty yards and the average length from three hundred to six hundred yards. A row of splendid Banyan-trees, planted at a considerable distance from each other, occupies some of the large streets, affording a delightful shade from the burning rays of the sun...
— Freeman. [21]
Governor William Winniett's description of Kumasi in 1848 closely matched that of Freeman. Both sources also described the presence of loggias called the Dampan. [21] Before 1883, there were 150 Dampans in Kumasi. Dwaberem (The Great Market) and Apremoso (The place of Cannons) were the most significant assembly locations in the city. Apremoso was a place where the Asantehene along with officials and the city populace could convene for formal or informal matters. [22] It was named after an elavation of cannons captured from the Battle of Feyiase. [23] The Apremoso was the location of one of the most prominent public sumpene. [24] The Great Market on the other hand, served additional functions beyond that of a marketplace. It was also used as a parade ground for military reviews, a royal courthouse or as a platform for the reception of prominent visitors. As a result, the Great Market lacked permanent market stalls. [22] [14]
European sources in the late 19th century mentioned the city's neatness such as the account of F. Boyle in 1874 who stated Kumasi's smell "are never those of sewage" as well as Brackenbury, who wrote around 1873 that "the streets are generally very broad and clean, and ornamented with many beautiful banyan-trees affording grateful shade from the powerful rays of the sun." [16] In contrast, William Butler described the city amid the British invasion, as 'a filthier, and far more blood-stained collection of mud and wattle hovels than any other village in the forest.' [25] Parts of the city, including the then royal residence, were burnt by the British in the Third Anglo-Ashanti War of 1874. [26] Native carriers were generally blamed for torching the city, and British engineers made strenuous efforts to quell the fires. [25]
In 1888, R. Austin Freeman was disappointed with the ruins of Kumasi following the British destruction in 1874 and the Ashanti civil war before 1888.
Kumasi was a great disappointment to me, and my disappointment increased as I walked round and examined the town. It was not merely that so little existed, but that so much had been destroyed. As it stands, or then stood, the town was nothing more than a large clearing in the forest, over which were scattered, somewhat irregularly, groups of houses. The paths were dirty and ill kept, and between the groups of houses large patches of waste ground intervened, and on these, amidst the tall, coarse grass that covered them, were to be seen the remains of houses that had once occupied them. These houses once stood in wide and regular streets, but since the destruction of the city in 1874 the natives do not seem to have had heart to rebuild them. Yet there remained some few vestiges to show what Kumasi had been in its palmy days... A few broad, well-kept streets still existed, lined by houses, [of] ... admirable construction, careful and artistic finish and excellent repair...
— R. Austin Freeman. [15]
Freeman notes that besides the British invasion of 1874, a civil war lasting 5 years took place in Asante and concluded by 1888. This led to a further decline of Kumasi. [15] Between 1895 and 1896, the British Empire invaded Kumasi again. [27] The Secretary of State for the Colonies justified the expedition by announcing that it was to “appoint a resident in Kumasi who would see to it that the King carried out his engagements.” Kumasi and its nearby villages were destroyed as the British rebuilt the city on the same location. [14] A war broke out in 1900 following Governor Frederick Mitchell Hodgson's speech in Kumasi about his demand of the Golden Stool. [28] Hogson was held under siege in Kumasi by the Ashanti until he broke out of the city on 23 June 1900. By 1 January 1901, British war operations came to an official end with the defeat of the Ashanti. [29]
Population of Kumasi during the time of the Ashanti Empire varied. In the early 19th century, Ashanti sources estimated a populace of 100,000 while European sources gave a figure around 12–15,000. [15] Another source in 1820 provided an estimate of more than 200,000. [30] According to historian Ivor Wilks, the city may have had a population of 40,000 in the 1860s. [13]
Kumasi was formally annexed in 1901. The city was in ruins since the 1880s and by 1901 its population had declined to 3000. [31] Modernization of Kumasi began in 1896. [15] A fort was constructed in the centre of town to function as the colonial administrative headquarters. In 1905, the wetlands close to central part of the town were drained for the construction of railways and its station to connect Accra and Cape Coast. [14] In 1925, the colonial government established the Kumasi Public Health Board as the modern local government. The Kumasi Light and Power Supply was founded within this period. Pipe-borne water was developed in the 1920s. The Kumasi Combined General Hospital and the Kumasi Mental Hospital were also constructed. Under the colonial government, the Kumasi economy became cash-based with the establishment of industries to tap into rubber and cocoa. In 1907, 11 European firms were established in the city. [15] In the 1920s, the Wesley College of Education was built while the Central Market was completed in 1925. The University of Science and Technology was established in 1952. Kumasi hosted the 6th Pan African Conference in 1953. [32]
The colonial government removed strict barriers that deterred emigration to Kumasi. There was an influx of immigrants as a result; these included people from the Northern Territories, Syrians, Lebanese and Indians. Houses made of swish, brick or cement with iron and shingle roof spread within this period. By 1905, 60 of such houses were built within the city. [15] Kumasi struggled with migration especially during the Second World War. The government introduced Social Welfare services in response. A Probation service, Juvenile Court, Remand Home and Community Centre were established in the 1940s. Historian Busia comments on the growth of individualism that accompanied the modernization of Kumasi. [15]
In 1910, Chief Commissioner of Asante, J. F. C. Fuller provided rules to regulate construction in Kumasi which stated that the permits for construction could be obtained through the Chief commissioner. These regulations were limited to European residential areas as African residential areas lacked proper supervision. In the 1940s, the District commissioner revived Akan courtyard architecture with British influence but this received poor reception from the locals for its unsanitary and uncomfortable conditions. In 1944, the District Commissioner promoted the construction of nuclear settlements in Kumasi Zongo which received mixed reception. European residences within this period were characterized by Bungalows. [27] Schmidt argues that the British colonial government segregated Kumasi’s residential districts on racial lines. Green belts were developed but these emerged as Nature Reserves when Ghana gained independence. Parks were also planned in the city. [14] In the mid 20th century, Kumasi was referred to as the "Garden City of West Africa." [32] [33]
Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
---|---|---|
1970 | 346,336 | — |
1984 | 487,504 | +2.47% |
2000 | 1,000,000 | +4.59% |
2010 | 2,022,919 | +7.30% |
[33] |
Kumasi is the capital of the Ashanti Region and it is administered by a municipal authority. Kumasi is the 2nd largest city in Ghana. [34] In the 1950—60s, an Akan hybrid courtyard building style fostered within this period. It was a blend of traditional and European architecture. This style was more suitable for extended families. [27] Since independence, colonial public spaces have declined. [14] In 1988, Kumasi was denoted as Metropolitan under the PNDCL 208. The Local Government Act, 1993, Act 462, allowed for the election of representatives from the local assembly who participate in the planning process. This Act was replaced by the Local Government Act, 2016, Act 925. [33] On 30 May 2020, Kumasi, along with Accra, was placed under lockdown as part of the government's responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana. The lockdown was lifted around 19/20 April 2020. [35] [36]
Kumasi is a city in the Ashanti Region, and is among the largest metropolitan areas in Ghana. Kumasi is located in a rain forest region near Lake Bosomtwe, and is the commercial, industrial, and cultural capital of the historical Ashanti Empire. Kumasi is approximately 500 kilometres (300 mi) north of the Equator and 200 kilometres (100 mi) north of the Gulf of Guinea. Kumasi is alternatively known as "The Garden City" because of its many species of flowers and plants in the past. It is also called Oseikrom, after Osei Kofi Tutu I who was a king in the Ashanti 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.
Kwaku Dua Panin was the eighth Asantehene of the Ashanti Empire from 25 August 1834 until his death.
Kusi Obodom was the 3rd Asantehene of the Ashanti Empire from 1750 to 1764. He was elected as the successor to Opoku Ware I as opposed to the nominee suggested by Opoku Ware I. Obodom's reign was inaugurated with a civil war in response to his election until stability ensued by 1751.
Opoku Ware I was the 2nd Asantehene of Oyoko heritage, who ruled the Ashanti Empire. Between 1718 and 1722, Opoku Ware became Asantehene during a period of civil disorder after the death of the 1st Asanthene. From 1720 to 1721, Opoku established his power.
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.
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.
Mensa Bonsu was the tenth king of the Ashanti Empire, from 1874 until his forced abdication on 8 March 1883.
Akyaawa Yikwan was a royalty from the Ashanti Empire who served as chief negotiator of the 1831 Anglo-Asante peace treaty.
The Ashanti Empire was an Akan empire and kingdom from 1701 to 1957, in modern-day Ghana. The military of the Ashanti Empire first came into formation around the 17th century AD in response to subjugation by the Denkyira Kingdom. It served as the main armed forces of the empire until it was dissolved when the Ashanti became a British crown colony in 1901. In 1701, King Osei Kofi Tutu I won Ashanti independence from Denkyira at the Battle of Feyiase and carried out an expansionist policy.
The political organization of the historical Ashanti Empire was characterized by stools which denoted "offices" that were associated with a particular authority. The Golden Stool was the most powerful of all, because it was the office of the King of the Ashanti Empire. Scholars such as Jan Vansina have described the governance of the Ashanti Empire as a federation where state affairs were regulated by a council of elders headed by the king, who was simply primus inter pares.
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 Ashanti Empire was governed by an elected monarch with its political power centralised. The entire government was a federation. By the 19th century, the Empire had a total population of 3 million. The Ashanti society was matrilineal as most families were extended and were headed by a male elder who was assisted by a female elder. Asante twi was the most common and official language. At its peak from the 18th–19th centuries, the Empire extended from the Komoé River in the West to the Togo Mountains in the East.
Ghana–United Kingdom relations are the diplomatic, historical and trade relations between Ghana and the United Kingdom. Modern state Ghana-UK relations began when Ghana became independent from the UK in 1957.
The Economy of the Ashanti Empire was largely a pre-industrial and agrarian economy. The Ashanti established different procedures for mobilizing state revenue and utilizing public finance. Ashanti trade extended upon two main trade routes; one at the North and the other at the South. The Northern trade route was dominated by the trade in Kola nuts and at the South, the Ashanti engaged in the Atlantic Slave Trade. A variety of economic industries such as cloth-weaving and metal working industries existed. The Ashanti originally farmed in subsistence until agriculture became extensive during the 19th century.
Owusu-Ansa was a prince of the Ashanti Empire. He was taken to the United Kingdom as adolescent, where he received a British education. After his return to West Africa in 1841, he first became a Methodist minister and, after his resignation from that position, a diplomat in the Ashanti Empire and the British Gold Coast. He played an important role in ending or preventing several Anglo-Ashanti conflicts.
8 roads with several sub routes were built by the Ashanti Empire to connect the capital with cities north and south of the empire starting from the 18th century. Ashanti roads were supervised and policed by the government, but the sacred roads of the state received more attention. 4 main roads were directed northwards of the state whiles the other 4 were built south and towards the Coast. The southern roads of the Ashanti Empire fell into decline in the late 19th century and the entire road network was abandoned following British colonization.
The Aban was a stone structure that served as a palace for the Asantehene and played the other function of displaying his craft collection. It was constructed in 1822 as a project of Asantehene Osei Bonsu, with the stones and labor provided by the Dutch at Elmina. The palace was destroyed in 1874 during the British invasion and its remains were used to construct a British fort in the late 19th century.
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.