Offinso

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Offinso
Offinso New Town
District Capital
Ghana adm location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Offinso
Location in Ghana
Coordinates: 6°56′N1°40′W / 6.933°N 1.667°W / 6.933; -1.667
Country Ghana
Region Ashanti Region
District Offinso Municipal
Elevation
348 ft (106 m)

Offinso , is a town in the Offinso Municipality in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The town is about fifteen minutes drive from Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti Region; due to Offinso's proximity to Kumasi, many of the Offinso natives have relocated to Kumasi. [1]

Contents

The indigenous people are Asante (Asantefoɔ) thus the dominance of Asante Culture in the town. [1]

Offinso Street (Old Education) Annor's Hotel.jpg
Offinso Street (Old Education)

Offinso is the anglicised version of 'ɔfenso'. The town was named after the River Ofe (ɔfe in Asante) which serves as the boundary for the Offinso South Municipality and Ahenkro, a town in the Afigya Sekyere District also in Ashanti Region. [1]

History and population

The old Offinso District was divided into Offinso South Municipal and Offinso North District with their capitals at New Offinso and Akomadan respectively.

According to the 2000 Population Census in Ghana, 138,190 inhabitants were living in Offinso - most of them being the native Asante people.

In the early 18th century, Offinso played a role in the conquering of Denkyira, Akyem and Bono territory during the great expansion of the Ashanti Empire. The founder and first king of the Ashanti Kingdom, Nana Osei Tutu I rewarded Offinsohene, Nana Wiafe Akenten I with a vast amount of land for his enormous contributions in war. History has it that the vast land was given to the Offinsohene on his request. He wanted nothing but land as his reward for the contributions he made during the war. [2]

Typical of any Akan community, Offinso has a festival called Mmoaninko (Mmoaninkɔ), the festival remembers the great efforts of Nana Wiafe Akenten I and the people of Offinso in war. [2]

Occupations

Most of the inhabitants are farmers whilst others also work as traders, teachers, drivers, doctors, nurses, lawyers, military officers, accountants and others.

Offinso South Municipal is home to four large market centres: Kɔkɔte, Krofrom, Anyinasuso and the Abɔfoɔ (Abofour) markets - people living in and around Offinso bring food items, clothes, shoes and other items to sell during the market days: Sunaday, Friday, Tuesday and Thursday respectively.

Education

Offinso has several government-owned and private Primary and Junior High Schools; Offinso is also home to the Offinso Training College (OTC) now Offinso College of Education, Jones Polytechnic, Dwamena Akenten Senior High School, Namong Senior High Technical School, St. Jerome Senior High School, The Bible Baptist Missionary Association of Africa Bible School (Agyeimpra, Offinso) and the St. Patrick's Midwifery Training School (Maase - Offinso). There is also a technical school at Amoawi, a suburb of Offinso.

The University of Education, Winneba has planned to open a campus at Offinso.

Offinso Krofurom The Ghana Commercial Bank.JPG
Offinso Krofurom

A two-storey library complex has also been built in Offinso to assist students of this town in their studies.

Some of the Primary and Junior High Schools are Offinso State 'A' JHS (public), OTC JHS (public), Abofour New Life Int. School (Abofour - Offinso), Blessed Child School (private), King Solomon Int. School (private),Offinso State 'B' JHS (public), Offinso State 'C' JHS (public), Immaculate Heart Preparatory (private), Future Island School (private), Osei Sarpong International School (Private), Namong Methodist JHS (Public), Agyeimpra Methodist Primary School (Public), Dominican International School (Private) etc.

Politics

List of traditional rulers

The town is ruled by the ɔmanhene (the paramount Chief) and his sub chiefs. Below is the list of rulers of Offinso since its founding in the 16th century.

MPs and MCEs

Offinso also has a Municipal Chief Executive who is appointed by the president of Ghana.

The town also has one representative at the Ghana's Parliament - the current MP for Offinso South Constituency is Hon. Ben Abdallah Bandah - he belongs to the New Patriotic Party, NPP.

Accommodations

Offinso has several hotels and guesthouses - BECO Guest House (Main and Annex), PKD Guest House, Bakana Hotel, Bakana Guest House, Tonto Guest House, Power Guest House (Abofour), etc. An additional use of a software application by name Booking.com that helps tourist in finding accommodation. [1]

Notable people

Religion

Christianity dominates in this town though there is a significant number of Muslims and Traditional Worshipers in this town.

Related Research Articles

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Nana Kwabena Wiafe also known as Nana Kwabena Wiafe Ababio or, in private life, Kwabena Sanwo Ansah, was a traditional ruler and Omanhene of Offinso Traditional Area. He is known to be the first Offinso royal to be enstooled twice in Offinso history. He reigned from 1935 to 1945 and from 1959 to 1966.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Brefo, Yaw. "Offinso". Booking.com. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  2. 1 2 Kwarteng, Nana K.Owusu (2014). Mmoaninko. Offinso, Ashanti Region, Ghana: Offinso Traditional Council. pp. 29–32.
  3. ↑ Asirifi-Danquah (2002). Yaa Asantewaa: An African Queen who Led an Army to Fight the British. Asirifi-Danquah Books. ISBN   978-9988-8028-1-3.
  4. ↑ Asirifi-Danquah (2002). Yaa Asantewaa: An African Queen who Led an Army to Fight the British. Asirifi-Danquah Books. ISBN   978-9988-8028-1-3.
  5. ↑ Asirifi-Danquah (2002). Yaa Asantewaa: An African Queen who Led an Army to Fight the British. Asirifi-Danquah Books. ISBN   978-9988-8028-1-3.
  6. ↑ Asirifi-Danquah (2002). Yaa Asantewaa: An African Queen who Led an Army to Fight the British. Asirifi-Danquah Books. ISBN   978-9988-8028-1-3.
  7. ↑ Asirifi-Danquah (2002). Yaa Asantewaa: An African Queen who Led an Army to Fight the British. Asirifi-Danquah Books. ISBN   978-9988-8028-1-3.
  8. ↑ Asirifi-Danquah (2002). Yaa Asantewaa: An African Queen who Led an Army to Fight the British. Asirifi-Danquah Books. ISBN   978-9988-8028-1-3.

6°56′N1°40′W / 6.933°N 1.667°W / 6.933; -1.667

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