The
Akuapems then known as the Hill Guans were living very peacefully with their
neighbors; Agonas, Gas, Krobos, Akyems and the Ductch until the Akwamus came to
the scene and started brutalizing them. When the Akwamu brutalities on mainly
the Guans, and the Kyerepongs on the Hills had gone beyond control and
intolerable the leadership had these settlers summon a meeting to chart and
discuss a way out of their predicaments. Gyedu Nkansa of Larteh, was then the chief priest and chief
warrior of the Guans, was referred to as the King of the Guans and in that
capacity the leader of Akuapem in whose old age and at his hour of death just
at the beginning of his successor Ohene Berentiri initially thought those
maltreating them were Asantes and so sent a message to Asante Mampong, then the
capital of Asante to enquire whether they were those carrying out the
atrocities. They responded negative and to show their commitment sent a
delegation including troops to Akuapem. They are the present day Akuapem
Mampong. Later Gyedu Nkansa gave authority to Ofei Agyemang, chief of Gyakiti
and Sediesa (Asare Diedsa), chief of the Kyerepongs to extend an invitation to
the Akyems for assistance to fight the Akwamus. The delegation to Akyem was led
by Opanyin Ayeh Kissi, an elder of Nana Offei Kwasi Agyeman. The Okyenhene and
elders readily agreed to help. He therefore dispatched his warrious led by his
nephew Safori to join the bandwagon of the Guans Agonas, Gas, Krobos,
Kyerepongs and the Dutch. A thousand forces (Akuw apem) thus swooped down the
hill unto the hopeless Akwamus regiment at Nsakye as they advance. Unable to
withstand the shock of this highland change, the Akwamu forces broke, scattered
and fled away from Nyanawase, their capital across the Volta river to the
present day Akwamufie.
This
was the famous battle of Nsakye (1730) after which the Akwamu’s unspeakable
acts of cruelty and depredation on the highland community came to an end. After
the defeat of the Akwamus, the Akyems connived and convinced the Akuapems to
allow them to permamnently stay on their land so they can avail themselves to
help ward off potential Akwamu resurgence. Given the loose settlement set-ups
of the Akuapems, the Akyems used their chieftaincy and political skills to
their advantage. The institution of chieftancy as we know of today was
non-existent then. The leadership of the Hill Guans consisted of Priest and
Priestesses with Gyedu Nkansa the Chief Priest and Chief Warlord of the Guans
as leader of Akuapem. The Akyem warlords arranged a meeting among the Guans and
the Kyerepongs at Abotakyi. The purpose was to organise the territory into an
order known as Twi military Order. This consideration influenced the need of
allocating offices. Four divisions were created under the Abotakyi Accord which
was signed in 1733. Thus the creation of the Akuapem State.
The
four divisions are:
·
Adonten number 1, belonging to Akropong. The Akroponghene then was
the Gyakiti warloard Nana Offei Kwasi Agyeman
·
Adonten number 2, belonging to Aburi being the remnants of Akwamu,
Ga and some Guan indigenes in that neigbourhood.
·
Nifa division was given to the five Kyerepong towns with its
headquarters at Awukugua. Asare Diedsa was chief of the Kyerepongs
·
The Benkum division was given to the nine Guan towns with its headquarters
at Larteh. Ohene Berentiri was regent for the Guans as Gyedu Nkansa was then too
old to be present. Although there was a regent for the Guans, Gyedu Nkansa gave
authority to Offei Kwasi Agyeman to negotiate on his behalf.
·
The Akyem warload Safori allocated to himself the Okuapenhene.
At
the first traditional council meeting the Gyakiti warlord was crowned as the
senior divisional chief and next commander-in-chief whenever the Okuapehene is away.
In
1934, the then Okuapehene Nana Ofori Kuma decided that the Adontenhene Number 1
title be re- designated to Krontihene, a title which did not change his
position and status in the heirachy of Akuapem, even though Nana Yaw Boafo the
then Krontihene abdicated in protest over the change. The Krontihene remained
as the second-in-command to the Okuapehene. The Adontenhene Number 2 title was
also re- designated to Adonten
