History – Etymology of Akyawkrom

Akyawkrom is a town in Ashanti region which which is located on the Ejisu-Juaben road in the Ejisu municipality. From Ejisu to Akyawkuom is about twenty minutes (20 mins) drive either using a commercial vehicle or private car. Akyawkrom is a suburb of Ejisu but in terms of chieftaincy, they are very powerful due to their history.

The history behind this town is that the first resident in the area a came out from a tree with his family and his name was called Obui Asamoah. The tree that this man and his family came out was called ”ɛnyano” tree.  Obui Asamoah and his family lived under the “ɛnyano” tree and he was also a very great hunter. His Royal Majesty, Otumfuo, at that time heard the news and call for him. The man went to Otumfuo’s palace and explained things to him since his coming to the earth was strange. Otumfuo became astonished after Obui Asamoah told him his story, so he made Obui Asamoah’s throne very strong and powerful as how he came to the earth was out of the world.

During Nana Obui Asamoah’s era, the town Akyawkrom was called Nsutam as the town is located in the middle of four rivers. The rivers are river Oda which is located at the southern part of the town and can be found in between Ejisu and Besease road. The second river is river Akentensu which is at the northern side of the town and can be found at Asotwe which is the next town of Akyawkrom on the Ejisu-Juaben road. The third one is river Afiasu which is found at the eastern side of the town and its source comes from Ejisu and the fourth one is river Ateretwea which is found at the western side of the town. 

         The tree ɛnyano which Obui Asamoah came out is located near the town’s market which is close to the roadside at the centre of the town. They have put a fence around it because the three holds the spirit of the town and it protects the people and they also pacify it when the need arises.

 I was informed that some years ago, the tree ɛnyano use to bear fruits like pawpaw and vegetables like pepper. Those days, whenever a fruit or vegetable gets rip on the tree, it will not fall down until it is plugged from the tree.

 The fruits and the vegetables from the tree were used to prepare food for the tree mostly during festivals.  Because the tree is close to the roadside sometimes it branches spread to the road and when they are about to prune it, libation needs to be poured and only the Chief of the town has the sole right and power to pour the libation and only the elders of the town are to prune the tree.

I was told that if someone is not part of the elders of the town and uses his or her own volition to prune the tree, he or she will lose his or her mind.

 I was informed that some years ago, when they were constructing the road in the town, one of the workers called “Enimo” ignored the advice of the residents and pruned the tree as the branches were making it difficult for them to work.

The man lost his mind when the workers moved to the next town to continue their work.

And one secret thing about the ɛnyano tree is that the leaves of the tree get dry during the rainy season and it leaves become fresh and deep green during the dry season. The tree can be used to cure malaria and fever.

After Nana Obui Asamoah’s reign, his nephew Nana Owusu Akyaw I succeeded him. During Nana Owusu Akyaw I’s era, Nana Kwakye Depoa who happens to be the Chief of Asankare in the Asante-Akyem district declared war against the people of Nsutam. Nsutam and Asankare share a border and the Chief of Asankare wanted to conquer, take over their land and make them his slaves.

Nana Kwakye Depoa was a great warrior and also had more people as compared to Nsutam, therefore, he knew he was going to win the war.

Nana Owusu Akyaw, knowing how easy it will be for the people of Asankare to defeat him, went to the Asantehene to sort refuge and he was given a land to settle on.

However, only the royals of Nsutam left to the new land Otumfuo gave them, that is those who belong to the Asenej family. The rationale behind is that they wanted the non-royals to fight with the Asankare people so that when they are able to defeat the Asankare people they can get back to their land. But they told the non-royals that the land offered to them by Otumfuo is too small for all of them to relocate there.

 When they got there, they started preparing the land to settle on and on the process of weeding the land they killed an elephant on the land, cut its tail and sent it to Otumfuo.

When the tail was sent to Otumfuo, he became amazed and asked Nana Owusu Akyaw I what name they should give to that place and they all came to conclusion that, the place should be name ɛsono- dua which is now called Esonua due to vowel elision.

They would have named the place Nsutam II but because of the elephant they killed on the land that is why they name the place Esonua which can be found at Mampongten near Ahwea in Kumasi. Nana Owusu Akyaw I, while monitoring the situation at Nsutam got the information that the people of Asankare had retreat when they got to Boankra as they were short of ammunition.

When Nana Owusu Akyaw I heard the news he became happy and gave thanks to God and their past king Nana Obui Asamoah and poured libation to him for making things go in their favour.

When Nana Owusu Akyaw I saw that things have settled down, he decided to bring his people back to Nsutam. However, when they were coming they left some of the people there because the place has become their second home. The “Queen mother and Gyaasehene” were left behind to cater and rule the people who were there.

  Nana Owusu Akyaw I became popular because his plans work perfectly since the Asankare people could not attack them and from that time till date, the battle between them and the Asankare people did not come on. Also he became the first Chief to train his people for war after his return from Jsonua. He became a warrior and defeated all the towns that he fought with. And in due of that, it came to a time whenever Asantes were going to war his people led the group because he trained them to become very good shooters. The people of Nsutam became proud of their Chief due to his effort to the town and the people came to conclusion and changed the name of their town from Nsutam to Owusu Akyaw kurom as a homage and glory to him and also to strengthen him to do more for the town since they were in war era. And through vowel elision it changed from Owusu Akyaw Kurom to Akyawkrom.

Now the Chief of Akyawkrom who happens to be Nana Tutu Ampem II is the same Chief of Esonua.

During Nana Owusu Akyaw I era, two towns which were occupied by the Asona family were chased out of their towns by their enemies as a result of a war and they wanted a place to settle. Otumfuo gave one of the groups a piece of land to settle on and that place is now called Offinso.

 During that time Akyawkrom was having a place where they put their palm kernel shell because their main occupation at that time was farming and the production of palm oil. So the other Asona group went to Akyawkrom and asked Nana Owusu Akyaw I for a place to settle. Nana Owusu Akyaw I dream was to help Asanteman to progress. So he listened to their story and gave them the place where they put their palm kernel shell, which the natives called “Adwe no so” to settle. And the Asona people settled there and through vowel elision, the name changed from “Adwe no so” to ɛdweso (Ejisu). And from that time till now the name Ejisu has kept its form. The Chief of Ejisu at that time who went to Nana Owusu Akyaw I to ask for the land was called Nana Afrane Okese I.

 I was told again from my research in the town that, when the Chief of Akyawkrom goes to Manhyia, he does not take off his sandals as some kings do due to their history and also the vital role they put up during Asante wars.

As to why the town has not been able to developed, I was told during Nana Owusu Akyaw I’s era, Okomfo Anokye was passing through the town and asked for water to drink but no one gave him some to drink so he cursed the town, saying the it will not develop to the level that it supposed to get to.

 Nana Obui Asamoah and his people belong to the “Aseneɛ ” family. So the royals who rule the town of Akyawkurom are the Aseneɛ family. 

According to the “2010” population census, the people of Akyawkurom were about an estimated population of seven thousand (7,000) of which children were four thousand (4,000). Their main occupation is farming most especially plantain and cassava crop production.