The Republic of Ghana- collectiveharvest4-Ayana Forbes

The battle of the golden stool is a prime example of resistance and solution within the Republic of Ghana. Here is a little history on the golden stool, in 1600 the Asante kings became most powerful by uniting into 1 kingdom. In the 1670 military officer Osei Tutu used Kumasi as a base to conquer surrounding Asante kingdoms. Osei Tutu's power grew bit by bit with support of the religious leaders. The golden stool is a symbol of Asante Kingship. It is so important that the Asante people believe if ever captured or destroyed then the kingdom of Asante will disintegrate, therefore it is rarely seen. No one sits on the golden stool. The king butt touches the golden stool 3 times. The first and only time is when he is elected as King or Asantehene, the stool touches his butt 3 times for this special time.

In 1881 Asantehene Prempeh I decided to revive his Asante kingdom, when offered protector status from British he responded "My Kingdom of Asante will never commit itself to any such policy; Asante must remain independent as of old at the same time being friendly with all white men". Prempeh, knew he couldn't beat the British militarily, he was open for negotiations. British did not want to negotiate; did not want to see the reemergence of a strong Asante kingdom. The British were hungry for African land and raw materials during this "scramble" for Africa. The Asantehene Prempeh the 1st was deceived and arrested by British. Prempeh the 1st was sent to Elmina Castle, a prison on Cape Coast for a year and then exiled to Seychelles in 1896 for a quarter century. British began looking for golden stool while king (Asantehene) was in exile, knowing it would psychologically hurt the people and help British defeat them once and for all.

The Asante people have always had an organized hierarchical structure that includes lesser kings and chiefs. This system saved them because even with their King in exile they were able to still preserve and plan. In 1900 the War of the Golden Stool occurred. King Prempeh was in exile and could not rally his troops. This is where the hierarchical structure came in handy, In absence of an Asantehene, there are others who take control. In Prempeh place his elderly 65 year old mother Nana Yaa Asantewaa decided it would be she that led her people into battle. The golden stool is the symbolic essence of the Asante people, their pride and their soul. If the stool went missing it would be the end of their kingdom. As Nana Yaa Asantewaa fired a gun the men had no choice but to follow her into battle. She hid the true golden stool. Queen mother Nana Yaa Asantewaa and her soldiers were no match for the British and surrendered the "golden" stool to the British as a sign of defeat. It was a fake gold plated wooden stool. In 1902 the Gold Coast officially became a British Colony. Even with colonization the Asante people kept their culture intact because of the golden stool this is a prime example of resistance. Currently, they city of Kumasi is the considered the second capital of The Republic of Ghana, it is still a strong Asante city.

Works Cited

Editor. *International Magazine Kreol*, 10 Aug. 2017, kreolmagazine.com/culture/features/the-exile-of-prempeh-in-the-seychelles/#.YKSUqXmSnIV.

bbcafrica. “The Golden Stool - History Of Africa with Zeinab Badawi [Episode 14].” *YouTube*, YouTube, 10 Apr. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=\_KKnpSnXRxo&list=PLajyiGz4JeyPq2lpEt2skZRhQsAspIQCp&index=14.

bighistoryproject. “Resisting Colonialism: Through a Ghanaian Lens | World History Project.” *YouTube*, YouTube, 3 Dec. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=08reE8PqzSc.