OSEI KWAME

Osei Kwame (circa 1764-1803) was Asantehene from 1777-98. While his reign would seem to have been efficient and enlightened, he was finally unable to overcome a continuing political opposition, particularly from the Asante Queenmother, Kwaadu (or Konadu) Yaadom.

Usually regarded as the eldest son of Kwaadu Yaadom, there is some reason to believe that Osei Kwame’s real mother was her sister, named Akyaama. His father was the Mamponhene (ruler of Mampon, a state of the Asante Union located 30 mi (48 km) north-north-east of Kumase), Safo Kantanka. When the Asantehene Osei Kwadwo, [ruled 1764-77], died, there was strong support in Kumase for the enstoolment of the reigning Kokofuhene (Ruler of Kokofu, another Asante Union state, 10 mi (16 km) south of Kumase), Kyei Kwame.

Mustering his support, the then Mamponhene, Atakora Kwame, marched on the capital, Kumase, and despite the fact that Osei Kwame was only a youth, forced his acceptance as Asantehene. The affairs of the state were managed by the Queen-mother, Kwaadu Yaadom, and a committee of senior officeholders.

Osei Kwame’s attempts to assume political control from about 1780 onwards involved the nation in a series of internal crises. Nevertheless, in an early trial of strength with the powerful Adontehene (leader of the Asante army’s vanguard), Amakwa Osei, who had assumed control of the treasury, Osei Kwame was able to test the strength of his constituency. The Adontehene was removed from office, and his family was disqualified from holding the position in future.

Osei Kwame created a number of new stools and carried forward the administrative reforms initiated by his predecessor, Osei Kwadwo. Among the recipients of his political favours were many of the “princes,” or sons of previous kings of Asante, upon whose support he was therefore able to rely. An attempt to overthrow led by the Fotosanfohene (head of the “weighers”, or cashiers), Esom Adu, in or about 1790 was apparently easily suppressed.

During Osei Kwame’s reign, the new civil administration in the provinces appears to have functioned most efficiently. As a result, there were few disturbances serious enough to necessitate military intervention on any appreciable scale; the campaigns of 1785 in the southwestern provinces, and those of the 1790s in the northwestern provinces, were the most noteworthy exceptions. In 1788 dissatisfaction with Danish treatment of his officers led Osei Kwame to place an interdiction on trade with their ports; after eight months the Danes were obliged to meet the Asantehene’s terms for a settlement.

In 1792 the Danes were to solicit Asante assistance in maintaining order east of the Volta, and Osei Kwame agreed to despatch an army of 10,000 men to that region if required. In general, however, Osei Kwame preferred to rely upon the machinery of negotiation, resorting to the use of military force only when absolutely essential. In the later 1790, Osei Kwame came into violent conflict with the Queen-mother Kwaadu Yaadom, whose son Opoku Kwame was heir-apparent.

When Opoku Kwame died abruptly in 1797, Osei Kwame was accused (whether rightly or wrongly) of having had him poisoned. Shortly after an attempt was made on the life of Kwaadu Yaadom, who fled from the capital and, making promises of liberal political reforms, urged the candidacy of her next most senior son, Opoku Fofie. Seemingly to avoid formal destoolment proceedings, Osei Kwame escaped from Kumase and took refuge in Dwaben, 15 mi (24 km) northeast of Kumase. Failing to appear in Kumase for the annual Odwira (yam) festival in 1798, Osei Kwame was declared destooled, and Opoku Fofie was elected the new Asantehene.

Among the charges formally preferred against Osei Kwame was that he was too sympathetic towards the religion of Islam (if not a secret convert himself). This the senior officers of the state viewed as incompatible with the traditional Asante social and political order. The fact that Osei Kwame had grown up with his father in Mampon, an early centre of Muslim influence in Asante, lends some credence to the report. Certainly, Osei Kwame’s removal from office also immediately sparked movements for his restoration in the strongly Muslim-influenced northwestern provinces.

When Opoku Fofie died in 1799, rumours inevitably circulated that Osei Kwame was implicated. The new Asantehene, Osei Bonsu [ruled 1800-24], moved rapidly to suppress the movements for Osei Kwame’s restoration, winning a signal victory at the battle of Kaka, about 100 mi (160 km) north of Kumase in what was the Brong-Ahafo Region, in 1801. Osei Kwame, who seems not to have given encouragement to those committed to his restoration, became for a time a close advisor of Osei Bonsu, urging upon him (successfully) the importance of an enlightened northern policy.

Finally, in 1803, Osei Kwame requested to be killed. He was executed by strangulation with all the ceremony and privileges due to a deposed monarch. On that somewhat bizarre note ended the career of an Asantehene who achieved so much in sustaining and improving the fabric of the empire, who appears to have ruled wisely yet moderately, yet who was never finally able to overcome domestic opposition to his elevation to the highest office.

IVOR WILKS