The mysterious tale behind how Akans came to head the 5 clans of the Ada Traditional Area

History is profound with many tales of how several clans or ethnic groups travelled around, settling in some places that were not originally their settlements, but the story of how the Ada paramountcy is headed by strangers is like none of them.

Explaining the details surrounding the five native clans of the Ada Traditional Area: the Adibiawe, Lomobiawe, Terkperbiawe, Dangbebiawe, and the Kabiawe, the Senior Divisional Chief of the Kabiawe Koonor clan, Asafoatsengua Kotoko Dabra V, said that a history of wars set the tone for what currently exists.

Speaking to Onuaonline.com, he stated that during one of the wars that were fought by the Ada people in times past, the coming in of the Kabiawe, who were strangers from Asante Akyim, Akwamu, and Bantama, gave them a good advantage.

Naturally, being the warriors they are, the Kabiawe led them to victory, making it easy for the people to permanently give them a home and make them their leaders.

“You see it was war. We were stronger. We led them to fight series of wars. We conquered series of wars for the Adas. That is why we also do the red. We pour blood and they are like the peaceful group who don’t like matters of blood and that’s why they are white.

“But we the Akans, we are warriors and so we led the wars. So, my name Kabiawe Koonor, I am part of them at Kowhenu, but because I am fearless, with the name Kotoko Debrah, they made me sit at the entrance. And that’s why I have the name Kabiawe Koonor. Because I left their midst to come and stay at the entrance so that if an enemy approaches, I will be the first to fight them. And since I began to sit there, no war has bypassed my entrance to the main Kowhenu.So I became a very defensive shield for the people Ada,” he disclosed.

Asafoatsengua Kotoko Dabra V continued that while this is the current situation, there is an even clearer explanation as to why none of the four main clans of the Ada paramountcy cannot assume the role of the paramount chief.

According to him, a goddess gifted their ancestors the Songor, which is the water source that contains the salt that has become synonymous with the people of Ada.

As part of the conditionalities, the goddess required them never to pour blood, stressing that should they ever breach that condition, they would lose the mineral in the Songor.

“We came as warriors, and so those who were told not to be red, were the four main Okor Clans. And that is because they want to own the Songor, which will disappear if they do red. So, they won’t pour blood and so we the Akans have become their warriors. And so, for us to defend them, an oath had to exist between us. And that oath was what happened at Kamateynya and so we are more powerful because we pour the blood that they won’t pour. This made us the strong pillar amongst them, hence our stance in the middle.

“So, we always select who becomes the Paramount Chief but before our selected person is enthroned, the four clans, who own the throne will have to accept that person and then take the person through the required ritual procedures. So the throne is for them but only people from our side can sit on the throne, but for that to happen, they have to be in full agreement for our person to be enthroned.

“And so if you a from Kabiawe, and you are selected and enthroned, you can’t be red anymore but your elders and guards will be red. Once you sit on the throne, you also become white and that is why you can see that the current paramount Chief of Ada, Gyekye Abram Kabu Akoako III always does everything with white. He doesn’t wear any gold jewellery or anything aside white even though his origin is from the Bantama people. Even though Bantama is also of Akan heritage, once he sits on the throne, he has to abandon all things that are not white because he has become the overlord of the Songor,” he explained.

The Ada people celebrate the Asafotufiam festival.