Asante and Fante States

Asante and Fante all have a common origin. They belong to the Akan speaking people of northern Ghana. They migrated from northern Ghana and settled in Takyiman, 100 miles north of Kumasi.

From Kumasi, some Akan migrated further south, until they reached Fanteland, where they settled West of Greater Accra at Munjusin.

From Mankesin, the Fante spread in much of southern Ghana, and formed Fante states among the country inhabited by Asebu, Aguage, Fetu and Fante. The Fante states were not closely united as Asante was, and they did not have great traders as Osei Tutu or Opoku Ware of Asante. In the 1st century, Fante fell under Asante domination, but the domination was short lived.

Asante -Fante Relations.

Asante and Fante were ever in conflict. Conflict came mainly as a result of trade interests. The Asante were forbidden to trade freely with the Europeans at the coast as they were far away from the coast.

They had to pass through Fante states that were at times hostile.

They also felt that the Fante middlemen through whom they transacted business with the Europeans cheated them.

The first major open conflict between Asante and Fante was in 1765 when the Asante overthrew the Denkyira Yoko and defeated the Akin. Such defeat led to increased trade between the Asante and the Europeans and the coast, by passing the Asante middlemen who became annoyed.

In 1765, the Massa managed to draw the Denkyira, Twige and Akin to their side. This threatened the Western Asante trade routes to Fanteland and their eastern trade route to Accra. As a result the Asante under Osei Kwado attacked Wassa. This time the Fante joined hands with Asante and defeated the Wassa and their allies.

The Asante did not retreat fully back to the north, as the Fante had liked. Instead Osei Kwado camped his army at Abora, a major Fante town.

The relations between Fante and Asante became bad again until Osei Kwado took his army back to Asante.

The British who had already settled on the coast, however were able to persuade Asante not to attack as it would bring about unstable political conditions and disturb trade.

In the 19th century, however, relationship between Fante and Asante were extremely bad and fought each other about 9 times.

The first war was sparked off by the two Assin chiefs, sheltered by the British at their fort Anamabo.

The British Governor with the advice of the Fante refused to hand over the two Assin chiefs to the Asante.

Osei Bonsu then led his army, and occupied Anamabo town, and pressed on to the British Fort.

The Asante's success led them to think of Fante's estates as under their domination and subjects of Asante, a position the Fante and the British at the coast, did not accept.

In 1824, an Asante - Fante war broke out. The British were greatly involved in it, in support of the Fante.

At that time, the British forts on the Gold coast to seize an Anomabo policeman who they claimed had abused She Asantehene, the Fante persuaded MacCarthy to send an armed expedition to Asante to punish them.

The expedition was joined by nearly all the Fante states except Elmina.

The Asante completely defeated the allied armies and Governor Sir Charles MacCarthy was killed.

The British government was ashamed of such a defeat and was determined to revenge.

1n 1626, when the Asante marched south again to punish the Gas of Accra, for abandoning their alliances with Asante, they were defeated by allied forces of the Fante and the British.

In the treaty of 1831, the Asante were enforced to give up their southern subject states of Akim, Wassa, Denkyira, Fante, Assin and Accra. The Asante were greatly annoyed and sought for an opportunity to revenge.

In 1852, tried to attack Assin chiefs, but withdrew without fighting.

1863, there was trouble with the Asante again.

Refugees who had crimes in Asante, were protected by British Governor Richard Pine who refused to hand them back to the Asantehene.

The Asantehene sent troops, southwards and they crossed the Pra river and looted villages.

The British also in revenge sent troops to the Pra river to prevent another attack, by the Asantehene. However some of the British troops died of dysentery which claimed the British parliament.

THE BRITISH -ASANTE WAR OF 1874

The causes of this war were of long - standing. The British had been humiliated by their defeat in 1824 and wanted to humiliate the Asante in return and removed their authority over the country of Ghana as a whole. They also wanted to expand their economic activities even further north beyond Asante.

In 1867, the British started preparing for war in order to break Asante power once and for all. Sir Garnet Wesley an outstanding British soldier was sent to make preparation for war

The Asante were defeated forever in 1874. When Wesley's forces finally entered Kurnasi town, which was already deserted. They set pare of the town on fire.

The treaty of Fomena was signed and the Asante were forced to give up their tributary / states of Sefwi, Wassa, Assin, Denkyira, Fante, Kwahu, Akim and Accra.

Annexation of the Asante

After 1874, Asante continued to disintegrate. The vassal states of the North, Dagomba, GonJa, Gyaman and Krachwe rebelled. Only original metropolitan Asante remained.

Political problems also overran the remaining Asante nation, as a civil war broke out between Kumasi and Buaben some of the inhabitants moved southwards until they established a new settlement of Koforidua known as new Juaben.

1880, Kokoju, Manpong and Nsuta all original members of Asante nation rebelled.

1880, Kwaku Dua III or Prempe I became the Asantehene and tried to reunite the Asante notion.

Due to the scramble for colonies in Africa, he was not given a chance. The British gave him protection which he refused.

1896, the British sent a military expedition to Kumasi, and Prempe I was seized and taken to the Coast from were he was finally deported to Seychelles islands in the Indian ocean. This is where our Ugandan kings Kabalega were also deported in 1899.

Administration of governor George MacLean in Southern Ghana

The administration of George Maclean lasted between 1830 and 1843. Before he came, the British affairs in the Gold Coast were handled by a council of merchants.

But the British government told that the council that its powers were Smiled to the British forts. This was however difficult and the council was forced to extent its powers beyond the forts.

In 1830, the London Committee of Merchants sent out Captain George Maclean as president and Governor of the council of merchants at the Cape Coast.

As a very able and wise administrator, he played a very important role in the establishment and extension of British influence in the Gold Coast in the 19th century.

Realising peace, law and order as a pre-requisite for development. He made efforts to normalize the Anglo-Asante coastal relations.

He negotiated a treaty with the Asante signed in 1831, signed between Asante and the British and her Allies.

According to the treaty, the Asantehene recognized the Twigu, Wassa, Fante, Cape Coast, Nzima and other former Asante tributary states in the south.

The Asantehene also agreed to refer all disputes between himself and the southern states to the British for peaceful resettlement.

He also agreed to deposit 600 ounces of gold in the Cape Coast Castle and to send two Asante young men of Royal family to he British government for custody on Cape coast as security that would keep peace with the British and their allies.

The allied parties to the Treaty agreed to stop seizing debtors of relatives and imprisoning them or selling.

The treaty was to resist success to George Maclean.

It clarified both parties.

The allies coastal states obtained their independence from Asante.

The Asante gained direct access to the forts, they had been fighting for since the 18th century.

Maclean also sought to maintain peace and order among the chiefs of the southern stages.

He tried to stop human sacrifice, selling of debtors, attacked an raids on peaceful traders and slave trading.

He usually tried to use peaceful means although sometimes he used force. For example, in 1833, he stepped in then war broke out between Wassa, and Denkyira and fined the chief of Denkyira, Kwado Taibu when he blamed for the fight.

In the same year, he settled a dispute between Akwapen and Krobe.

1835, he sent an army to Nzima against Kwabu Ackah, a chief, accused of slave trading, human sacrifice and attacks on peaceful Wassa traders.

He administered justice impartially (not favoring any one party) among the peoples of Southern Ghana.

At first, Maclean assembled the chiefs of Cape Coast and asked them to try the criminals by their own laws, but the council was to see that the criminal if found guilty was not tortured-

From 1836 onwards, Maclean attended the courts or sent a member of the Council to watch the actual process of the trial and to see that justice was done.

Later on, he allowed the chiefs and their subjects to bring cases of all kinds to his court.

Sometimes, he imposed sentences or fines or imprisonment if found guilty.

He also put Magistrates in Anomabo and Accra among other places.

He used the soldiers of the forts as police to see that order was maintained.

As a result of his administration, he was able to ensure law and order in the coast and ,in the nearby states. Trade therefore increased from 1830, worth £90,000, 325,000 in .1840. imports increased from £131,000 in 1830 to f.422.000 in 1840.

The production of Palm oil, coffee and corn greatly increased due to the end of slave trade and encouragement of British traders.

The Basel Missionary for example, Riss abandoned the Coast and settled inland at Akropong on 1835, due to Maclean's administration which provided peace. From the settlement, missionary work spread northwards and southwards. By 1843, Rio had established a school of Akropong and had opened others in Accra and Aburi.

1840, a Catechist training college was opened at Akropong and another at Osu in 1850.

1853, Wesloyans missionary society began operating on Ghana. As missionary Thomas Bireh Freeman in 1838, established churches in the coastal area, he also wanted to introduce missionary work in Asante and visited Kumasi in 1839.

By 1842, 21 missionary stations had been established in Ghana by the Wesloyans and there were 360 children attending their schools.

The Methodists also worked in Ghana and during the 2nd half of the 19th century, founded a secondary school the Mfanstipin school in 1876.

George Maclean strove hard to improve economic and social conditions too.

He promoted trade in both exports and imports that raised income for the people of Gold Coast.

There was high level of production in terms of timber, palm oil, coffee, corn and other agricultural products.

There was improvement in transport by ordering and supervising the construction of roads.

By 1840, the British power and jurisdiction had replaced that of Asante mainly because of the efforts of George Maclean.

He died in 1847 after laying the foundation of British rule in the country.

PROBLEMS FACED

Captain George Maclean's administration faced severe criticisms from many circles, both in the Gold Coast and in Britain.

His administration was accused of having no legal basis.

George Maclean was accused of applying British law on the people who were not British subjects.

He was also accused of extending the British influence far beyond the limits of the forts allowed by the Company.

He was accused of convening with European slave traders. That he did not do much to stop it at the Coast.

Consequently, Dr. R.R Madden was sent to investigate the allegations. His report confirmed the views of George Maclean's critics.

As a result of that report, his governorship terminated in 1843.

George Maclean was only appointed in the judicial services of the new Governor Hill.

Apart from chat, George Maclean's administration faced other problems too.

There was shortage of finance, manpower and supplies.

Lack of co-operation from African chiefs.

It was difficult to control and abolish slave trade completely.

There were inter tribal hostilities still among the Upper and Lower Wassa, Wassa and Denkyira; Asante-Fante; Akwapem-Krobo among others.

British Control in Ghana after Maclean.

The British government assumed direct responsibility for the settlements on the Gold Coast.

Commander Hiil was appointed governor and signed a number of treaties with chiefs who paid visits to him, known as the Bond of 1644.

1850, the Goid Coast was separated from Sierra Leone and given its own Government.

The Governor was to be assisted by the Executive £.3 well as a Legislative Council.

1850 March, the Danes decided to leave the Gold Coast and they sold their forts to the East of Accra to the British for £10,000. Akwapim and Akim (the Dansih protectorate, passed on the British).

1867, an alarming situation arose in coastal Fante areas.

An exchange of forts was arranged Which put the Dutch on the side and the British on the other of the coast.

The people of Kornenaa refused to allow the Dutch to occupy the British fort there and even began to attack the peopio of Elmina.

The Dutch decided to pull out of the Gold coast together and offered to sell their possessions on the country of the British.

The Fante Confederation

When the trouble over the transfer of forts started, a number of Fante chiefs met at Hahosin and agreed to help the people of Komenda against Elmina.

The meeting of the Fante chiefs quickly developed into land of political movement on which the chiefs were ably supported by educated people on the confederation.

1871, they made up a constitution, which sought to create friendship and cooperation among the various Fante chiefs. It made provision for the building of roads and schools. It ought to improve agriculture and to exploit the mineral resources of the area.

There was to be a confederacy government with a general assembly of elected members, both chiefs and non - chiefs. The Assembly was to have power to make laws and levy taxes. The British did not allow the confederation to continue. The leaders were arrested and locked up and that ended the life of the confederation.

In 1874, the Asante were decisively defeated and capital of Asante and asked that the Golden Stool be fetched for him to sit on as a representative of the British Monarch.

Ths Asante revolted were defeated and Asante was annexed by the British. Through use of treaties with local chiefs. British rule was spread throughout the whole modern Ghana except, the eastern region which was under the Germans by 1901.