Okomfo Anokye

Okomfo Anokye, who was born Kwame Anokye Frimpon Kotobre, became the greatest lawgiver and wisest sage of Akan history. Known by historians for his tremendous abilities in healing, regulating nature, and establishing codes of conduct, Anokye was essentially a spiritual leader, hence the title Okomfo, which is usually rendered in English as priest.

Anokye was born around 1655 in Akwapem in the kingdom of Akwamu in an area southeast of the important Asante city of Kumasi during the early part of the 17th century. Asante historians have claimed that Anokye's mother was an Asante and his father was an Adansi. Furthermore, some scholars claim that he was related to Osei Tutu, the military leader and cofounder, with Anokye, of the Asante Empire. What is clear, however, is that Anokye was largely responsible for creating the constitution, codes, and customs of the Asante people.

At Akwapem, Anokye befriended a young man, Osei Tutu I, who was to become the first king of the Asante Empire. They became close friends and participated in the creation of the legal, political, and philosophical foundation of Asante. It was Anokye who was responsible for producing the Golden Stool that established the legal authority of Osei Tutu I as the Asantehene, King of the Asante Nation.

Anokye is the principal architect of Asante laws, religion, and supernatural powers. He is said to have buried a sword in the ground to the hilt. According to the authorities of Asante culture, the sword cannot be removed without destroying the Asante Nation. The sword remains firmly in place even now.

According to historians, Anokye is believed to have used his considerable intellectual and psychological abilities to influence the Akan people around Kumasi to gain military and political confidence to confront their enemies. Because he had strong oratorical gifts and spiritual power, Anokye was able to create within the Asante people the idea of their invincibility if they followed their own traditions.

By 1695, Anokye and Osei Tutu I had created a capital region, organized the state councils, reorganized the army according to a new martial [Page 487]philosophy, and sworn unity with all minor kings of the region. To test the solidarity of the nation, Asante went to war against the Denkyera in 1699. The war lasted for 2 years, with the Asante army having to beat back the Denkyera army from the gates of Kumasi, the capital city. However, the Asante army had the special power of Anokye who, with his mighty voice, began to shout incantations toward the Denkyera army. Soon many of their generals defected to the Asante side and the war, which had been going badly for the Asante army, quickly turned in Asante's favor. From that time forward, Anokye was considered one of the greatest of all priests. It is claimed that he died in Akwapim in 1717.

Okomfo Anokye profoundly impacted the Asante Nation in its origin. He has a record of great deeds and miraculous cures that places him at the top of Asante's history. It is said that, among other things, he climbed palm trees with his sandals on and carved a game of Oware out of a stone slab with his bare fingers. The sandals and the slab of stone are on display in Awukugua. Indeed, the exploits of Okomfo Anokye include the redirecting of rivers, the restructuring of Asante institutions, fetching water in a basket without spilling a drop, and the commanding of the Golden Stool, Sika Dwa Kofi, to land on the knees of his friend Osei Tutu I, thus making him the first king. Everything that Anokye did seemed to attest to his power over nature. He even lived in a house without a roof, but he was never wet because the rain did not fall inside of his house. Almost every conceivable action that one could attribute to a priest or a magician could be claimed by Anokye.

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