After more than five decades since his passing, a book on the History of Asanteman, authored by Otumfuo Sir Osei Agyeman Prempeh II, has been launched in Kumasi.
Edited by Prof. Tom McCastie, a distinguished professor of Asante History at the Centre of West African Studies of the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom, the book serves as an autobiography of the 14th Asantehene, who reigned from 1931 to 1970.
The book launch was part of the activities commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Sagrenti War and the silver jubilee of Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
Speaking at the launch, the Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, praised the significance of the book in bridging gaps in Ashanti history and serving as a crucial research material on Asante History.
He noted that while there have been previous books on the history of Asanteman, none have been as comprehensive as the one authored by the late Otumfuo Sir Osei Agyeman Prempeh II and edited by one of the foremost experts on Asante history.
Dr. Adutwum also called upon writers of children’s books to consider creating children’s versions of the book to enhance its accessibility to younger audiences.
He emphasized that the book represents a comprehensive history of the Asante Kingdom and advocated for its presence on the shelves of every library in the country.
Prior to the book launch, a symposium was held to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Sagrenti War, a conflict between the British Colonial Army and the Asantes.
During the symposium, the Kumasi Centre for National Culture staged a play written by Emmanuel Jewel Peprah Mensah, depicting the events of the Sagrenti War. The purpose of the stage play was to provide the audience with an understanding of the war and its aftermath.
Prof. McCastie shared insights on the war, highlighting that besides the royal ornaments stolen from the palace, the British soldiers also looted gold and gold dust belonging to the then Asantehene Otumfuo Kofi Karikari.
He estimated the value of the stolen gold to be worth more than £2 billion. Prof. McCastie noted that some of the looted items, such as a brass basin used for spiritual cleansing, are still on display in museums in the UK, like the Military Museum in London.
Discussing the role of Asante women in the war, Prof. Eugenia Anderson of the History and Political Studies Department of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) highlighted their significant contributions to the sustenance of the Asante kingdom.
Although women of childbearing age faced socio-cultural barriers limiting their involvement at the war’s frontline, older women played active roles in the kingdom’s socio-political life.
Prof. Anderson cited the pivotal roles played by three Asante queenmothers—Afia Kobi, Nana Yaa Akyaa, and Yaa Asantewaa—in protecting the golden stool and safeguarding the Asante kingdom.