The Royal Family of the Gomoa State Kingdom and Nananom of Gomoa Oguan of Gomoa West over the weekend performed a successful colourful coronation ceremony and the necessary accompanied traditional rituals to successfully install Nana Okofo Kusae Edu Ohen Ampofo XVI(16) as the next Paramount King to lead the entire Gomoaman.
Nana Okofo Kusae Edu Ohen Ampofo XVI(16) replaces the late King King Kusae Edu XV who passed on.
Before his elevation to his current high royal paramountcy as the Gomoa King, he was known to the public as Nana Ohene Ampofo I, who was also the Obabeyin of Twedan Royal Stool, the Apagyahene of the King Kusae Edu I Family.
The ceremony and the official rites was led by the Abusuapanyin of the Asona Royal Family Gate, Nana Kwasi Aboan.
Nana Okofo Kusae Edu Ohen Ampofo XVI(16) is known in private life as Evans Ohene Ampofo and widely known as a retired Military Officer of the Ghana Armed Forces.
The coronation ceremony was graced and supported by the Queenmothers of Gomoa State ObaaHemaa Akonfua Tekyiwa Head of the 5 gate Obaahemaa Jase Hemaa and Obaapanyin Efua Esurogyan and other prominent chiefs, queenmothers among other traditional rulers.
Addressing the coronation ceremony, Nana Okofo Kusae Edu Ohen Ampofo XVI(16th) emphasized that chiefs hold critical leadership roles in society and are responsible for overseeing its strategic direction, operations, and overall development.
It is against this background, that he called on the chiefs and his entire community people to support him in all areas to bring a transformation full of development to the area.
Performing the rituals and rites, Abusuapayin Kwasi Aboan used the opportunity to charge the newly installed Gomoa King Nana Okofo Kusae Edu Ohen Ampofo XVI(16th) to recover all stolen lands, properties and belongings all what belongs to Gomoa Oguan and Gomoaman as a whole.
After going through all the traditional customs and initiations, the new King Nana Okofo Kusae Edu Ohen Ampofo XVI during a press interaction assured his people and Ghanaians that he is not in to fight with any Omanhen or chief but all of them should come together as it was in the olden days to reunite Gomoa because King Kusae Edu is the originator of Gomoa State and he owns everything in Gomoa.
He demanded the return of their stool lands and other properties from the five Paramountcies in the Gomoa land.
“I blame all governments that have come and gone including the current government for our underdevelopment. Our community has been neglected for over 53 years because we were not having a Chief. Past governments collaborated with illegal chiefs to gazette crooked documents and disputed records.
The Gomoa Oguan Community is supposed to have a paramount chief who will rule over Gomoa but because we had no chief, other chiefs have unlawfully established their own Paramouncies which is against the Chieftaincy laws. Following my installation the community is now free from intimidations and being dictated to by all the five Paramountcies in the Gomoaland.
….I would further like to assure you that I’m committed to supervise all Gomoa lands and will make sure that Gomoa will have a Kingdom that we will rule over. We are now confident that now we have our chief who would help the community to get he needed development,” Nana Okofo Kusae Edu Ohen Ampofo XVI(16) stated.
BACKGROUND HISTORY OF GOMOA STATE, KING KUSAE EDU ASONA ROYAL STOOL, COMMISSION OF INQUIRY REPORT
King Kusae Edu Asona Royal Stool { GOMOAHENE} of Gomoa Ogwan has been inactive or dormant for a period of time which has left questionable marks on its existence and legitimacy.
Kusae Edu, a warrior and headman fought the Sasabro war to liberate Gomoa land and the people of Gomoa from 1530 to 1570.
When Kusae Edu returned from the war the Gomoa State Sword (Akomfona Takyiwaa) and Stool were customarily created, (black stool) for Gomoa State Kingdom (Akunwa kese) and handed it to him to rule over the Gomuafos and the Gomoa Land through all his descendants in perpetuity.
Kusae Edu thereupon ascended the Stool as Gomoa Hene with prior approval of all Gomoa, Obir, Adam, Openisir, Antsisadzi, Gomoa Manmu, Andamba, Antsiadzi, Asin, Aso Boaku, Kyireh Asanmba, Adwunanku, and Asin Endowu people.
THE WAR CAPTAINS THAT SUPPORTED THE WAR COMMANDER (KUSAE EDU) TO DEFEAT THE AGONA HENE NYARKU EKU WERE:
1. Pantsir
2. Kofi Ketu
3. Andam
4. Assan
5. Kojo Arku
6. Tekyi.
THE GOMOA HENE (KUSAE EDU) APPOINTMENTED STOOLS ESTABLISHMENT AND SETTLEMNET AREAS
MAIN WAR LEADERS AND SETTLEMENT
1. Pantsir & Kofi Ketu settled at Pantsir Dabon. The Adonten Division-Town-Antseadze.
2. Andam at Ohua -Nifa Division.
3. Assan at Assin – Gyaase Division -Gomoa Assin Mampong.
4.Kojo Arku at Edwumako -Tufuhen, Town-Gomoa Edwumako.
5. Tekyi at Atekyi(Akropong)- Benkum Division.
6. famous Herbalist. Bondam- settled at Kyiren- Osahen.
7. Oguan Arku founded Gomoa Wassa.
8. Twafo Division Abor Awusi Gomoa Fetteh
PARAMOUNT SEAT GIVEN BY GOMOA HENE
1. Awutu Breku
2. Senya Breku
3. Winneba
4. Agona Nsaba
5. Ajumako
Towns and villages King Kusae Edu created was 251 and some are Gomoa Abotsia, Gomoa Wasa, Gomoa Dominase, Gomoa Potsin, Gomoa Oguan etc.
THE GOMOA STATE ARMY FOR SASABRO WAR
The Gomoa State Army for Sasabro war was constituted as follows:
1. Opentsir, Nkyidom (Rear Guard)
2. Asanmba Edwumaku, Dontsidan or Adontsimdon (Centre or man body)
King Kusae Edu I was gazette in 1619 as Gomoa Hene for Gomoa State.
From the rule of King Kusae Edu I to the rule of King Kusae Edu XV (Kweku Tsim) was 335 years. They ruled Gomoa State from 1619 to 1972.
Thereafter there was a dispute between the then Government and the Gomoa State which necessitated the setting up of a Commission of Inquiry into the unrest between Kwa Ahunaku Stool and King Kusae Edu Stool.
After the Commission of inquiry report in 1922 a solution was found to the protracted dispute between the Kaw Ahunaku Stool and King Kusae Edu Stool.
The Crowther report on Gomoa State on 5th October, 1922 under the commission of enquiry ordinance differentiates the two stools Kwa Ahunaku Stool and King Kusae Edu I Stool.
THE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY
Gomoa Assin State Affairs
It is notified for general information
1. That the Committee of Enquiry appointed under section 8 of the State Councils (Colony and Southern Togoland) ordinance, 1952 to enquire into the matter of a constitutional nature in the Gomoa Assin State arising from a dispute certain chiefs and persons subject to them and Nana Kusae Edu XV, the Gomoa Hene, and specifically to enquire whether any grounds existed upon which Nana Kuase Edu XV could be destooled in accordance
2. With custom and whether in fact he had been destooled, in a report to the Governor dated 20th August, 1954 found.
a. That under native customary law the gravity, seriousness and sufficiency of the charges proved warrants the destoolment of Nana KusaeEdu XV as Omanhene;
b. That the meeting at Kubekur, Apam, on 28th March, 1952, was unconstitutional and that the body which met and declared Nana Kusae Edu XV, the Omanhene, destooled was not the customary body empowered so to do; and
GOMOA STATE KINGDOM
Refer to Report and the History of GOMOA STATE by Crowther Commission in 1922 from the Archives Department Accra.
3. That his Excellency the Governor confirmed the above findings on the 24th day of November, 1954.
THE PAST GOMOA HENE OF THE KING KuSAE EDU STOOL
GOMOA HENE (POSITION) NAMES OF GOMOA HENE
1 Nana Kusae Edu I
2 Nana Andu I
3 Nana Kwadumanu
4 Nana Dadzi Edu
5 Nana Attah Panyin
6 Nana Attah Kakra
7 Nana Kwesi Dadzi
8 Nana Kweku Attah
9 Nana Andu II
10 Nana Kojo Arku
11 Nana Ogwan Arku
12 Nana Kobina Otabil
13 Nana Tandoh
14 Nana Kojo Nkum
15 Nana Kweku Tsim
From the rule of King Kusae Edu I to the rule of King Kusae Edu XV, Asona Royal Stool faced with a lot of dispute from the then government of the time.
King KUsae Edu XV (Kweku Tsim) ruled from 1936 to 1972 when he passed on. Due to protracted dispute and misunderstanding between Kwa Ahunako and King Kusae Edu Stool, King Kusae Edu XV is yet to be buried.
CURRENT DISPUTE
After the death of King Kusae Edu the XV in 1972 to date, Gomoa state have been on dispute due the death of Gomoa Hene, not buried, there are some main divisions, on the lands, chiefs, towns, villages, misunderstanding, lack of development, litigations, mismanagement, losing all assert, lands boundaries, royalty’s chiefs disputes ect.
