The launch of the maiden Ahanta Heritage Month has renewed calls for the historical experiences of the Ahanta and Nzema people to be given greater prominence in Ghana’s ongoing conversations on reparatory justice.
Tumivole Awulae Kaku Aka III, Paramount Chief of the Nzema Kotoko Kingdom, said any meaningful discussion on historical reparations in Ghana and Africa must take into account the injustices suffered by communities along the western coast.
“There cannot be reparatory justice in the whole of Africa and Ghana without Ahanta and Nzema lands,” he stated.
He made the call at Apowa in the Ahanta West Municipality during the launch of the heritage month, held under the theme: “Reparatory Justice: Healing, Unity and Cultural Renaissance.”
The event, which focused on “The Untold Slave History of Ahanta,” brought together traditional rulers, diplomats, government officials, representatives of the diaspora and the Caribbean, as well as other stakeholders.
Awulae Kaku Aka III used the occasion to highlight the resistance of Ahanta traditional leaders to colonial domination.
He paid tribute to Tumivole Awulae Badu Bonso II, who ruled the Ahanta Kingdom from 1826 to 1838 and was executed by Dutch colonial authorities after resisting their rule.
He also recalled that his ancestor, Tumivole Awulae Kaku Aka I, was executed by British colonial authorities in 1848.
The Paramount Chief commended the Member of Parliament for Ahanta West, Madam Mavis Kuukua-Bissue, for spearheading efforts to revive and preserve Ahanta history and heritage.
He said efforts in the past to erase the influence of the Anona (Nvavile) clan from parts of Ahanta and Nzema had failed, adding that the heritage initiative would help future generations better understand the historical contributions of the two areas.
Madam Kuukua-Bissue said the celebration was intended to help the Ahanta people reconnect with their identity, confront difficult historical truths and use their heritage as a foundation for future development.
She described reparatory justice, healing, unity and cultural renewal as a collective responsibility for Ahanta people at home and abroad.
“The time has come for Ahanta to speak for itself and for Ghana to recognize the full weight of Ahanta’s contribution to the nation’s story,” she said.
She also paid tribute to Tumivole Badu Bonso II and Tumivole Gyan Kwaw, also known as John Conny, for their resistance to Dutch colonial domination.
The MP said the Ahanta Kingdom had long-standing systems of governance, justice and diplomacy before the creation of modern colonial boundaries.
Nana Kwesi Agyemang IX, Paramount Chief of Lower Dixcove and Vice-President of the Western Regional House of Chiefs, pledged the support of the traditional council to sustain the annual celebration.
He urged Ahanta citizens to take pride in their history and cultural identity.
Historian and lawyer Anokye Frimpong also highlighted the humanitarian leadership of Chief John Conny and his role in efforts to secure the return to Ghana of the severed head of King Badu Bonso II.
He argued that some divisions among traditional states in the Western Region were created or deepened by colonial arrangements that weakened indigenous authority structures.
Mr Frimpong called for stronger traditional leadership structures, citing the Asante Kingdom as an example of a more unified traditional governance system.
The launch marked the beginning of an initiative aimed at placing Ahanta history, identity and contributions to Ghana’s development at the centre of broader conversations on heritage, justice and cultural renewal.
