How Nana Asareman became Asaman and how a message from Asantehene divided the people

Asaman is a town near Ejisu in the Ashanti Region. Under the laws of the Government of Ghana, Asaman is under Ejisu, however, traditionally, Asaman is under Nsuta. This means that the chief of Asaman swears his oath to the Paramount Chief of Nsuta Traditional Area.

Asaman which is a small quiet town is close to Bawuro and Tikrom.

The Adakɔ family, which is part of the Oyoko family rules this town.
If you have not heard about the Adako family here is how they got their name.

According to history, the Oyoko family once went to Manhyia to make a request.

While on their way, some people got tired and wanted to sleep and relax before they continue the journey. But there were others who wanted to continue the journey without sleeping. Those who decided to sleep and relax slept and those who wanted to continue the journey marched on. Those who marched on got to Manhyia and got what they wanted. When those who slept caught up with them, they were given the name Adakɔ meaning “those who slept before going” (“da” which means sleep and “kɔ” which meaning go).

Now to the story of how Nana Asareman was established and how it became Asaman.
Before the people of Asaman migrated to where they are living now, they were living at Ayeduase which is near the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi. The chief who led them to their present location was called Nana Asare.

After they established the town, the people called it Nana Asareman, meaning Nana Asare’s town, however, after some time people started calling the town Asareman and later Asaman due to the elision of the r and the vowel e in the word.

But how did the people get divided?

Well, it all starts with a bird a hunter killed. In the Akan language, the birds called Ɔwam and the taste of its meat is said to be tasty than any animal with feathers in the world.

In the olden days, when a hunter kills a game or anyone slaughter an animal he must send its thigh to the chief of his town.
The hunter followed tradition and sent the chief of Nana Asareman’s share to him.
After the hunter sent part of the meat to the chief of Nana Asareman, he also sent part of it to his nephew, the Asantehene. The Asantehene after eating the meat loved it so much that he gave bullets to a messenger and told him to go to his uncle, the chief of Nana Asareman and tell him that he enjoyed the meat so much that when he gets some again he should send him some.

The chief of Asareman was not happy with the message and the bullets the messenger brought and he told the messenger to go and tell his nephew that he will not do it. The chief is said to have to the messenger to tell the Asantehene that he is his nephew that is why he sent him the meat. So if he has enjoyed it why does he want to turn his uncle into a hunter?

The messenger also carried the message to the Asantehene and he was also not happy with the message his uncle brought him.
The Asantehene then told the messenger to go back to his uncle and tell him that “he has been given the power to rule Asanteman so if he does not want to do it then on Wednesday he and his troops will attack his town so he should get ready.”

After the chief of Nana Asareman got the message, he was not happy with the reply from his nephew. He met with his family and told them the message from the Asantehene.

The family got divided as some said they cannot fight with their own nephew while others said they will stay and fight and do not care even if the Asantehene will kill them.

Those who were not willing to fight left the town and move to the Effiduase and established Agona Asaman (they name it after Asaman) while those willing to fight stayed behind.

The day the Asantehene promised to attack his uncle’s town came but he and his soldiers never showed up. He was only playing with his uncle.

by: Nana Asabere