CHAPTER 1
Oman is witnessing the farewell ceremony of its chief's youngest child, Nana Serwaa Berimah. The chief, his wife and all of the people of Oman had expected a male child, and a 5th girl child in his sickness and ageing was the worst gift from the gods. It spelled one thing – the end of the Berimah royalty. Worse, she was the 5th child and '5' is considered an unlucky number. Yet Chief Berimah hopes to defy the odds. Peradventure a woman may rule Oman. The words of the priest at the time of Nana Serwaa's birth rings in his ears:
I see a woman whose one leg is planted among people of our kind, and the other leg among that of a strange people in a faraway place.
The people and elders had sought to understand the meaning of what that saying might mean, but the Oracle spoke no more. He had said the much the gods had bade him. Off to his shrine he went, leaving a frustrated people anxious and perplexed.
* * *
Nana Berimah, chief of Oman and his wife had cared for their girl child. The gods, they believe, know better. They cannot be unfair, though men may often perceive them so when their expectations are cut short. Or rather seems. The gods see what men do not, know what men do not, and understand what men may never. All that may rightly be thought of the gods, but should they not speak in ways that ordinary men may comprehend? Should their speech or that of their messenger – the priest continually be in riddles making for confusion among the peoples? All these and more the great and aging man pondered as he lay in bed with his wife that night. He'd wished the gods visited him in a dream and informed his knowledge of small and great things to transpire in Oman in the years coming. He desired that at the least, the mercies of the gods would extend to his knowing of his successor.
In these days of hoar hairs and feeble knees, Nana Berimah knows that he must use his best of time and maneuverings to ensure his family continue as rulers of Oman. His four daughters and their husbands have only proven with his aging their gross incapability to rule the kingdom. Two of his daughters are married to men of foreign ethnicities and live away from Oman with their husbands. The other two husbands are a drunk and a rapist. And they have frequently been accused and guilty of extortion, while their wives have failed every test of their father. But Nana Berimah has grown too weak to take a serious action against them. Or perhaps, love for his daughters has clouded his judgement. His only hope is Nana Serwaa, in spite her sex and his ageing.
Off to Kumasi – the Royal Palace, Nana Serwaa Berimah must go. Perhaps she will become a wife of the to-be-crowned king of Ashanti. But to be the wife of any member of the royal family in Kumasi would be an honor, Nana Berimah had thought. So with his year old daughter he will attend the coronation of the new king of the Ashanti Kingdom, and present her duly.
* * *
The coronation of Ashanti's new king on March 26, 1888 marked a symbolic end of the civil war. Nana Serwaa Berimah was presented at the King Palace in Kumasi, the official residence of the Asantehene – king of the Ashanti Kingdom. Her father had believed against the traditional odds that his 5th child that failed to be a boy must have the strength of a male child – a somewhat greatness in her. Possibly the seer might have meant Kumasi, he reasoned. It may be a prosperous alliance may be forged between Oman and the throne in Kumasi because of her. But Otumfuo Nana Prempeh I requested that the child be cared for at home in Oman and returned in 15 years, when she had turned 16, the age of marriage for a royal Akan woman.
* * *
In the second year of his reign, Nana Prempeh I had his first major crisis on hand. An enemy force would be a better foe to plan for, a comparatively easy adversary against whom to find a solution. But Otumfuo and Ashanti are faced against the peril of nature. For several years the palm trees in the regions have been fast growing barren. And those were the years of the civil war. But now, there is peace and a king, yet there is scarcely pepper on any tree in the kingdom.
A strange pest has plagued every type of pepper in the region and spared not a single field or garden. The peoples are devastated. Meal is worthless without pepper for an Asante. Their best chance for pepper is Liberia, on the West African coastline.
But just how they get there pose a great challenge to Otumfuo and his council. This council is the emperor's council for strategy. It is made up of members of the elders' council, the cabinet, and the military advisory council. The council is challenged with devising the best route to Liberia. They consider distance, means of transportation, conditions such as weather, road and sea routes, and transporters, and more importantly the territories they must go through to the intended destination.
Pepper and palm trees are strangely barren the empire over. And while the priests and people look to the gods for answers and solutions, it is obligatory that Otumfuo and his council provide relief to these constraints the people are faced with. While the palm nut is a staple food for Asantes, the pepper spice goes with nearly every dish.
Two full days went by, with many hours spent deliberating possibilities to Liberia and back. On the third day and in the third and final meeting of the day, a youth in his early twenties stands up. He is a 5' 10", 171 pounder with Ashanti royal black complexion and thick black hair atypical of the ruling clan. It is past 4:00 PM and the sun is only just losing its intensity – the heat is somewhat felt in spite the cooling architecture of the palace. He had sat a couple hours without saying a word, and his voice is understandably heavy at the beginning. But just as he has proceeded from pleasantries or greetings, his voice becomes clearly adenoidal. Such a voice is common to the Ashanti royals.
His roundish-almond eyes scans the room almost as carefully as he speaks. Cautiously he dismisses the options of cameling and walking west-southward to Liberia; the chance of war with peripheral Mande ethnic groups such as the Gouro would be easily provoked. Gouro tribes were at wars with Baole and Krou tribes that are of kin to the Asantes. An over 1,000 troop going through the regions would imply nothing but Ashanti war against the Gouros. And against the unfriendly rains.
Cameling and walking south and then traveling by ship to the Republic of Liberia seems feasible. But just how? It will take negotiations for Ashanti troop and merchants to enter British controlled Cape Coast and arrange travel, or it may require the force of arms. Yaw Edusei vigilantly dispelled the notion that the British will hold no negotiations with Asante, that the only possibility was war. "It will strangulate the kingdom should they engage in a war any time soon" Yaw Edusei said in a fruity voice, and yet appealing gesture as he looked approvingly to Otumfuo. "Of what good will a well of gold be compared with an Ashanti life" he spoke, looking at faces in the room as though requiring an answer. That latter statement especially goes to council members that think it too expensive to pay out gold to the British, forgetting that war comes at the very cost of gold, and additional and more significantly, human life.
The expedition troop they drastically reduced and increased the merchants, as counter-proposed by Nana Yaw Edusei. In a week's time from that afternoon, Nana Edusei and the chief royal ambassador led an expedition comprising 300 troop, 100 merchants, 40 sailors, 2 physicians, 6 elders, a priest, and a seer. They successfully negotiated a to and fro entry through British territories, and acquired the use of 3 British vessel among others.
Within 3 months the Ashanti expedition was concluded. Their mission was successful, but not without problems. They were involved in a few small wars. Those few times they were mistaken for an invading force, and each time, before their mission was understood by the local peoples, they had lost members of the expedition. In all of that, Yaw Edusei showed courage and resilience, and proved himself; not merely as a soldier, but as a negotiator the young royal showed himself apt. The largely favorable report Otumfuo Nana Prempeh I received about Nana Edusei impressed the King, that he made him his chief military commander.
* * *
In 1894, some 6 years after the coronation of the Asantehene Otumfuo Nana Prempeh I, the last male head of the ruling line of the Berimah family in Oman had passed unto his ancestors. The political state of Oman is fragile. It has been for a long time. But Ashanti is too powerful, even careful, to allow Oman to fall into succession dispute. At least such a dispute or war would not go on long. The head of the local chiefs would preside over affairs, until a decision was made by Otumfuo on Oman.
Today, considering Yaw Edusei's childless circumstances coupled with his services to the throne and empire, Otumfuo can find no better man for the Oman royal girl. He did not think it twice and is certain his decision will pay well for Yaw and Ashanti at large. It may seem a thing to scorn, that Yaw should await years and another marriage before he should have a child of his own, but everyone present could trust that Otumfuo knew well, if not better. As an heir to the throne, you are trained as a counselor. You take case studies on various subjects including marriage, which poses several challenges ranging from infidelity to barrenness to irresponsible parenting. And the diverse solutions in the lessons are all predicated on Ashanti customs and traditions. If a woman fails to give her husband children, the man may take unto himself another wife; by his discretion he may keep or put away the barren wife. These men present at King Palace know too well that time will come by fast, and Yaw Edusei would scarcely have transcended the youthful barrier – 35 years, according to Ashanti definition of male youth.
But for Ashanti's interest, the king of Oman had passed unto his ancestors untimely! Otumfuo Nana Prempeh I had hoped that the Omanhene (Nana Berimah) married out his daughter before his demise. Yaw is Nana Prempeh's best hope to finally bring Oman under absolute Ashanti rule. Otumfuo reassures himself that his plan for Oman is the will of the gods, but concedes that the events and details are their workings! He will simply keep an eagle's eye on the small kingdom Ashanti has left autonomous for many years. It is 9 years until the Berimah girl is of age to marry. Until then, Kumasi will join Oman in the funeral arrangements and observances for Omanhene Nana Berimah.
* * *
Shortly after the funeral processions of Omanhene Nana Berimah, the Ashanti Kingdom and its rulers and peoples turn their focus on celebration. Odwera is one of the biggest festivals in Ashanti. It is the biggest religious annual festival celebrated by the entire peoples of the kingdom. It is a period of forgiveness of trespasses, and freedom and blessings into the New Year. The Asante believes in sin, and even the Otumfuo – the head of Ashanti could lose the favor of the Gods and be stripped to an ordinary citizen if his acts were unkind and base toward humans and his sins grievous before the gods. Odwera is like a Passover everyone – commons and royals hope to celebrate through. In essence, it is the festival of renewing and the bridge into the New Year. Ashanti is a land of many rituals and Odwera produces no fewer than the other grand festivals celebrated by Asantes kingdomwide.
September is here and the new moon approaches. The messages of festivities are transmitted daily by the royal drummers. Citizens including chiefs will leave their divisions and towns and villages and come to the royal capital of Kumasi. The royal high priest, not the king, will be the center of attraction. But Ashanti could never seize from admiring the Otumfuo. Especially not Nana Prempeh I. He is young and handsome, gay and generous and yet has the wisdom and firmness admired by even his council. However, he will be that great side attraction the Otumfuos often are during the Odwera Festival. His high priest will take the center stage and officiate the festival.
Ashanti is fully represented at Odwera 1895. All of its chiefs and leaders are present in the square of the royal palace. They are not merely the guests of Otumfuo Nana Prempeh I; everyone, including the king, is guest of the gods, or rather lightly, the high priest who leads them through the cleansing rites. But this Odwera is surprisingly overshadowed by the high priest's alarming prophecy. In fact, the news is soon out of the palace square into all of the city, and Kumasi is stunned. Ashanti is stupefied and its citizens look to each other, unable to speak more than a few words. Once the priest did speak the words. Now it is no more than a whisper even among the elders and members of the king's council. None can openly repeat that Otumfuo Nana Prempeh I, head of all the Akan tribes that formed the great Ashanti Kingdom and Custodian of the Ashanti people, would be taken into exile. Ashanti began to mourn. Even more terrifying was the fact that the priest predicted it would happen so soon: "Ashanti will see three full moons, and the fourth, well before before it is full, Otumfuo Nana Prempeh I will be taken into a foreign land."
Otumfuo Nana Prempeh I is king of Ashanti. The king could not be afraid. At least he could reveal no sign of fear before his subjects. However, Nana Prempeh I is fearless. He believes that whatever happens was the will of the gods and he was too experienced, in spite his somewhat youthful age, to resist or doubt the words of the gods. He had waved the chief priest to continue the festival when everyone expected the prophecy signified the end. And when all of the rituals and traditions were complete and Odwera done, he retired to his chambers where none was to enter till the king's waking hour the next morning. Usually the king would party and discuss with his guests late night during Odwera. But not tonight. Nana Prempeh I is only king of Ashanti, not a god. He is, plainly put, a human.
Every one may become fearful at some point in life. The Otumfuo may have become. But to entertain fear was to succumb to it, and the head of this great people knew the implications of that. So he braved the waves of fear during the night and awoke the next day the fearless and gay king his people knew him for. His first meeting among many was with Nana Yaw Edusei, and the last with his wives and children. He was leaving soon. There may not be vacuum in Kumasi because the British would seize power here. But the kingdom must be strengthened in every Division for the peoples' sake. Now, there is a seat in the herd-rich Oman for which war was breeding, and it is in the king's sole power to appoint an Obirempon (Big Man).
Yaw Edusei must go over to Oman as Obirempon. He will govern Oman under the kingdom until the next Asantehene – Ashanti king and council make a permanent or lasting decision. The king spoke decisively and his words were largely orders than suggestions or petitions to say the least. Yet Yaw Edusei is tempted to resist the king's commands. Why the head of Ashanti should be taken into exile like an ordinary peasant. At the least, he thought, there must be a fight. But he could only think it, for the Otumfuo's eyes were piercing within that seeming smiling face. Yaw Edusei paid homage to his master and left his presence. A new office and a wife and life await the warrior in Oman. He has 60 days to prepare himself and leave for his new station.
* * *
Barely 2 months after Nana Yaw Edusei left Kumasi for Oman - in January of 1896, had the British expedition force entered Kumasi. To the utmost dismay of his council and the army, Otumfuo Nana Prempeh I had just two hours ago delivered this speech before members of the royal family and various officials of the kingdom:
"The Queen-mother, members of the royal house, paramount chiefs, our wise council of elders, and every Asante that listen to me at this moment, and that shall hear of this moment:
When our forefathers, Nana Obiri Yeboah and Nana Osei Tutu I established this great empire, it was not about themselves. Greed had no place in their hearts, but that the pertaining of the highest and best in world society belonged to the one that has an Ashanti blood. They placed our people ahead of themselves, and the gods of our ancestors and our great ethnicity provided for their various necessities, and Ashanti prospered in their care.
The way of the gods have been known to us through our priests from the foundation of this empire. The gods' will had been no secret a business when Ashanti was in distress and need. And when our progenitors understood and obeyed these, the land prospered in their hands; but when they went contrary, Ashanti suffered, from the greatest even to the least.
