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                         -Nana Prempeh I (1872 -1931) K.M.A.C

                  Date of birth 18/12/1872 Died 12/5/1931

The contest for Asantehene in the nineteenth century turned into protracted hostilities and clashes between supporters of the two contes¬tants. This lasted from April 1886 till 26th March 1888 when Prempeh, the brother of the late king Kwaku Dua II, was enstooled in the presence of one Mr. Barnett, a British official. Prempeh assumed the stool name Kwaku Dua III. Asante tradition required the presence of the paramount chiefs of Mampong and Kokofu at the ceremony, but they were absent because they were sympathetic to Yaw Twereboanna, the other contestant, and feared they might be killed. Therefore, strictly speaking, the installation was incomplete and hardly legal. However, their representatives were present and assured Mr. Barnett that they would raise no further objections. It was not until after the final funeral rites for K waku Duah II that the new king with the stool name Prempeh I was traditionally and properly enstooled. This took place on 11th June 1894 and was attended by the new chief of Mampong.

Prempeh's kingship was beset by the gravest difficulties from the very onset of his reign. Despite his youth, he showed great diplomatic abil¬ity. He tried to restore the vanished glories of his empire and defend its independence against British interference in its internal matters regarding the exile of some rebels and the succession of some towns including Mampong, Kwahu, Sehwi and 'also against British intentions of bringing Asante under its protectorate. When Prempeh I was asked to accept a British protectorate over his state he rejected it and politely yet firmly replied that the Governor had misjudged the situation. He wrote:

The question of Asante exiles under British protection, security in Kumasi and the annexation of Kumasi to the Gold Coast Colony con¬tributed to deteriorate relations with the British. In April 1895 an Asante party left for England to explain the situation in Kumasi to the Colonial Office but the Colonial Office refused to see them. While in England John Owusu-Ansah, one of the members of the embassy, however, managed to negotiate an agreement to accept a British Resident at Kumasi .

However, the other members of the embassy realised on their return in Cape Coast that this meant the king had to pay for the cost of the mission, and felt that the king had been deceived, and left for Kumasi . On 17th January 1896 a British expedition including troops approached Kumasi . Asante offered no resistance to the expedition and Prempeh used diplomacy only in a vain attempt to halt their advance.

The Governor at a Durbar on 20th January in Kumasi insisted that since Asante had not observed the terms of a previous Treaty of Fomena, he would not accept any promises regarding the payment of the cost of the embassy to Kumasi . No new treaty would also be concluded unless the cost of the expedition was paid in full or a large percentage of it paid. Prempeh and the Queen mother pleaded to pay about 7,000 ounces of gold and the balance of 43,000 ounces paid in installments.

Governor Maxwell refused and requested that Prempeh and some of his chiefs proceed under escort to Cape Coast . The Governor then arrested the King, his mother Asantehemaa Yaa Akyaa, the father and broth¬ers of Prempeh, his uncles, Mamponghene, Ofinsohene, Ejisuhene, the two war-chiefs (Krontihene and Akwamuhene) and some others. They were first taken to the coast and imprisoned in the Elmina Castle . They were later exiled to Sierra Leone in January 1897 and eventually sent to the Seychelles Islands in 1900.

A group photograph of Asante 's taken into exile. The front row include Kwaku Fosu, Akyeamehene, Osukye, Mamponghene, Kwasi Gyambibi, king's father, Interpreter, Prempeh, Yaa Akyaa, Asantehemaa, Akepemhene and Agyeman Badu, king's brother

There were mixed reactions concerning this action. It took the Colonial Office by surprise, as they were not expecting this from the Governor. The Asantes also bitterly resented the deportation of their king. The feeling in Kumasi and surrounding towns such as Ofinso and Ejisu over the removal of Asantehene was bitter and deep. However, it was seen differently in some of the Brong states to the north and northwest of Kumasi who regarded the arrests and hoisting of the British flag as deliv¬erance from Asante . As a hero in exile, Prempeh acted as a more powerful rallying point for the forces of Ashanti nationalism than he would have otherwise done physically back home.

The Asantes therefore refused to enstool a new king and still recog¬nised the exiled Prempeh I as their substantive king. Indeed, they declared a war of independence to drive away the British in April 1900 under the leadership of the famous Yaa Asantewaa, the Queen of Edweso, which last¬ed till about January 1901.

The government therefore gave up the idea of securing a new Asantehene

on the Golden Stool. Hence, Kumasi remained quite chaotic until the return of Prempeh I in 1924. Even though it was cat¬egorically spelt out to him that he returned home as a private citizen, he was immediately recognised by his

people as the Asantehene and given the Golden Stool and all stool properties;

many Amanhene took the oath of allegiance to him and even celebrated

the Adae festival. Governor Sir Shenton wrote that:.

"In the eyes of the government he returned as a private citizen ... in the eyes of Ashanti it was their Asantehene who had come back to them. The Golden Stool had once more an occupant and the people had once more their supreme spiritual head".

Later on he was, however, recognised as Kumasihene and under¬took its reorganisation. He was awarded the King's Medal for African Chiefs (K.M.A.C.)

on 11th June 1930 and died on 12th May 1931.

                   Asante Kings of The Twentieth Century

                   - Sir Nana Osei Tutu Agyeman Prempeh II (1931 - 1970)

               KBE, OOV Date of birth 1892 Died on 27th May 1970  

After the difficult and turbulent reign of Prempeh I, Kwame Kyiretwie

was enstooled after the death of Prempeh I initially as Kumasihene and later as the first "official" Asantehene in the Twentieth Century, with the stool name Nana Osei Tutu Agyeman Prempeh II. Kwame Kyiretwie was born in 1892 to Nana Abakoma, daughter of Nana Yaa Akyaa, Queen of Asante, and Okyeame Kwaku Owusu

of Ejisu.

Legend has it that on the day he was born a lion appeared in Kumasi and was caught, hence the name Kyiretwie. He was employed at the Kumasi Officer's Mess in 1905 for two years, where he obtained funds to attend Kumasi Methodist School from 1907 to 1915 and then the government school in Kumasi.

As a young man he played an active part in the social life of his people. He took particular interest in football and singing and became a chorister at the Methodist church. He was also a founding member of the Asante Kotoko Society which

played a leading role in the repatriation of Prempeh I from the Seychelles.

In 1931 he was installed as Kumasihene. In that same year he imme¬diately began to work vigorously for the restoration of Asante Confederacy which was eventually accomplished in 1935.

Accordingly his status was raised from that of Kumasihene to Asantehene.

This was one of his greatest achievements.

Other Achievements During his reign he managed to get large parts of Asante lands, which had been taken over by the British, restored to the Golden Stool. He also established friendly relations between Asante and the other states in Ghana.

In 1937 he was honoured by His Majesty the King of England with the insignia of Knight of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire . In August 1965, he was decorated with the personal gold medal of His Holiness, Pope John. President Tubman of Liberia also decorated him with the Humane Order of African Redemption in 1968.

During his reign many schools and colleges were constructed; and he also gave a large tract of land for the construction of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

In 1969, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi , awarded him an honourary degree of Doctor of Science.

On September 30th 1969, the Government of Ghana conferred the Order of the Volta on him and a month later he was made President of the National House of Chiefs and again in the same month, elected to the Council of State.

It was during the reign of Prempeh II that the Kumasi Cultural Centre was constructed.

He actively partici¬pated with other Asante chiefs and the educated elite in the quest for inde¬pendence. Their quest for a federal system of government led to a protest movement, which resulted in violent confrontation with the CPP. However, when the CPP won the election, the king co-operated with the new government in the interest of peace and national unity prevailed."

Prempeh II believed in traditional values and devoted himself, to the study of his people. He at all times tried to uphold the dignity, pomp and pageantry that should characterise the institution of chieftaincy. He was an authority in Akan constitutional and historical matters. Backed by his knowledge, Prempeh II administered customary law and justice with fairness, thoroughness and splendour. His court in Manhyia re-established itself as the great seat of learning in Akan history, tradition and culture.

Otumfuo Sir Agyeman Prempeh II was a man with a good sense of humour, and the greatest generosity. He received visitors with open arms and shared his experiences and knowledge about the rich Asante customs, traditions and history with them. His integrity, sincere devotion, cordial sympathy, comprehensive knowledge, authority and his unequalled expe¬rience in chieftaincy and traditional matters earned him acclamation as a fountain of wisdom to all people. He died at the age of 78 years at the Manhyia Palace , Kumasi in May 1970.