THE STORY OF BEGORO

KNOW THE ORIGIN OF TOWNS

By:  KWAME MPENE

(Founder of the Guan Historical Society)

Originally, the Begoro Traditional Area was settled on by the Kamana tribe who formed advance party of the Akan race to penetrate the Akyem Abuakwa virgin forest.

They made settlements at Bosomfi, Ketekraa (now part of Begoro), Omanso (West of Be Atupriwa, and Akwaawa near the Akrum River which is a tributary of the Afram River.

According to tradition, Kwaw Kotoko of the Asone clan who helped him to become influential. Eventually, Kwaw Kotoko subjugated the Kwamena tribe and ruled them.

The primary occupation of men in the area was hunting, white women were engaged hi collecting palm-nuts found in abundance which in the end, gave rice to the name BEGORO,

meaning“Soft and Fleshy palm nut”.                                                                                :

The narration is that on one occasion, some men of Asiakwa discovered an elephant tusk while

gathering snails in the neighbourhood of Bosomfi. The head of the Bosomfi, Odame Ampon,

claimed the tusk by right of ownership of the land. The Asiakwa refused to hand it over, and this caused a great deal of bitterness among the Kamana It triggered a fight which was fought t by both sides with unparalleled brutality.

                                                                                                                                         The Kamana at Bosomfi were defeated and their chief Odame Ampon was slain. The sudden. death of their chief plunged the town into grief As soon as Kwaw Kotoko heard of the brutality committed by Tano of Asiakwa, he led a contingent to pursue the Asia kwa. A bloody battle was fought on the Abanowa hill during which the Asiakwa were defeated and Tano was killed. The result of Kwaw Kotoko’s action was unmistakably disastrous.

Eventually, the Abuakwahene Obirikran (1764-1772 / 1783-1789) heard of the conquest and  made every effort to mediate by calling for the tusk to quell the matter, but on the advice of his subjects, Kwaw Kotoko declined the offer Therefore, another was which was far more serious in its consequence on the Kamana, broke out.

The Osinohene Darko, a bold and courageous fighter, was chosen by the Okyenhene to lead the

Abuakwa contingent. This was a punitive march against the Kamana for having disobeyed the

Okyenhene’s instructions. He won an overwhelming victory. Therefore, it was Okyenhene’s intervention which ultimately restored peace in the area.

Kwaw Kotoko, who realized that the was lost, fled with his subjects to the Mid-Volta Basin to join their kith and kin at Kyakiti, Pese, Adumasa, Awurahae, Apaso, Apatifi, Nyampon, Sawa, Adasewase, Anyinase, Mmem, Akrade and Ajena of the Kamana tribe. Kwaw Kotoko sought refuge at Gyakiti where the inhabitants had earlier deserted their home at Toprefo in Akyem Abuakwa. Gyakiti was founded by a hunter named “Gyan-akitie” (Gyakiti).

After the collapse of the Karnana State and the absence of Kwaw Kotoko, the Okyenhene Obirikoran, annexed the land and the inhabitants became incorporated with the status as Akyem Abuakwa citizens. Sometime later, Kwaw Kotoko returned with some of the Kamana people and built the town of Begoro near the source of the Osuben River, which had been discovered by Kwadwo Mefeh, a hunter at Koradaso

Tradition assorted that Kradaso was founded by some Dwumana families from Kwawu Aduamoa. Fanteakwa was the original name of the people of Begoro with was then located at modern Osino. The first Begorohene to swear oath of allegiance to the Abuakwahene Obirikoran, was Nana Odame Pare Kutuaman, who became the immediate overlord of the Mmumuada people whose towns are Osino-Dwenease, Abompe, Dome, Fankyeneko (Akyem Heman) and Gyompomani.

 *Source:

            The Spectator             Page: 31                  Saturday, August 14, 2010