The Origin Of The Title ‘OKYENHENE’

By: Isaac Boamah Darko

Recently, there have been intriguing inquiries about the royal title “OKYENHENE”, which is exclusively applied to the ruler of Akyem Abuakwa and not to the other two neighboring Akyem chiefs. This title has a traditional origin and over the years, it has become a royal heritage that is unique to the Ofori Panin Stool of Kyebi – the paramount stool of Akyem Abuakwa.

It is a well-known fact that there are three distinct Akyem tribes residing in the basin of the Birim river. It would be expected that the head chiefs of all three tribes would bear a common stool designation or a distinctive one such as Abuakwahene, Bosomehene, and Kototuhene, respectively Kings of Abuakwa, Bosome, and Kotoku – the three neighboring Akyem tribes.

All three tribes migrated to their current locations from other parts of the country. The Abuakwas were the first to migrate to the area and were actively engaged as middlemen in the salt trade between European merchants on the coast and the Ashantis in the north. As a result, they acquired the name “Nkyemfo” (salt dealers) and their King was referred to as “OKYENHENE”. The Abuakwas not only acquired the name “Nkyemfo”, which later became “Akyemfo” due to word corruption, but they also established themselves firmly in their new homes and acquired the whole territory from the foot of the Akuapem hills to the confluence of the Birim and Pra rivers. As a result, the OKYENHENE acquired a new designation – KWAEBIBIREMHENE, meaning ‘King of the dense forest’.

After many years of occupation and acquisition by the Abuakwas, the Bosomes followed from Manso Nkwanta and Asuoho, and the Kotokus from Dampong in Ashanti Akim. These two tribes became traditional guests of the Abunkwas, who offered them new homes in what are now Akim Soaduro and Oda. However, the Abuakwas retained the title “OKYENHENE” exclusively for their sovereign ruler.

It is worth mentioning that in his diplomatic communications with other native states, the OKYENHENE has always been referred to as such by his brother Akan chiefs, such as the Asantehene, Denkyirahene, the Akwamuhene, and even the Bosomehene and Kotokuhene.

Therefore, the title “OKYENHENE” is a distinct traditional name unique to the occupant of the Ofori Panin Stool – a traditional heritage and a bona fide property of that great and ancient Akan stool.

Kofi Fofie, on May 9, 1957, Daily Graphic edition published similar reports about the Title Okyenhene

INTERESTING queries have been raised recently about the royal designation “OKYENHENE”
as applied exclusively to ruler of Akyem Abuakwa but not to the other two neighbouring Akyem chiefs.
The title owns a traditional origin and has, through usage over the years, eventually become a royal heritage peculiar to the Ofori Panin Stool of Kyebi, the paramount stool of Akyem Abuakwa.

It is a fact that there are three distinct Akyem neighboring tribes occupying the basin of the Birim river.
Quite naturally, one would expect the head chiefs of all the three tribes to bear a common stool designation or else distinctive one as Abuakwahene, Bosomehene and Kototuhene. respectively Kings of Abuakwa, Bosome and Kotoku – the three neighboring Akyem tribes.

Now, all three tribes migrated into their present abodes from elsewhere in the country.
The first to migrate into the area were the Abuakwas who engaged actively as middlemen in the salt trade between European merchants on the coast and the Ashantis in the north.
*In this way, the Abuakwas acquired the name’ “Nkyemfo” (salt dealers) and their King “OKYENHENE”
Not only did the Abuakwas acquire the name “Nkyemfo”, which by the usual process of word corruption all over the world, became
“Akyemfo” but they firmly established themselves in their new homes and quired the whole territory from the foot of the Akuapem hills right across through the then thickly forested area to the confluence of the rivers Birim and Pra. Thus again the OKYEN HENE came fo acquire a new designation – KWAEBIBIREMHENE,
‘King of the dense forest’.

After many years of this occupation and acquisition, by the Abuakwa’s, the Bosome’s followed from Manso Nkwanta and Asuoho, the lake (Bosumtwi) and then followed by the Kotoku’s from Dampong in Ashanti Akim.
These two latter tribes became the traditional guests of the Abunkwa’s who then offered them new homes in what are now Akim Soaduro and Oda.

Exclusive name
In this way, they too came to acquire the name Akyem but the Abuakwas retained the title “OKYENHENE” exclusively for their sovereien ruler.

It is interesting to mention that his diplomatic communications with other native states, the OKYENHENE has always been referred to as such by his brother Akan chiefs such as the Asantehene, Denkyirahene, the Akwamuhene and even the Bosomehene and Kotokuhene.

And so the title OKYENHENE is a distinct traditional name peculiar to the occupant of the Ofori Panin Stool. A traditional heritage and a bonafide property of that great and ancient Akan stool.