Historical Background

The District capital, Kumawu, is one of the significant traditional towns in the Ashanti Region. According to oral history, there were two important historical reasons associated with Kumawu. First, the name originated from a tree, “kuma” planted by Okomfo Anokye, a fetish priest, in a bid to select a capital for the Asante Kingdom (alongside the one planted in Kumasi (originally called Kwaman). Oral tradition has it that, the tree that was planted in the then Apemso did not survive hence, the name “Kumawu” (Kuma is dead). Secondly, the town is known for the heroism demonstrated by Nana Tweneboa-Kodua I during the reign of Otumfuo Osei Tutu I, when he sacrificed himself for the Asante Kingdom in order for Asanteman to defeat the Denkyira State in a war in the 16th Century. The men in this town are known for their bravely due to Nana Tweneboa-Kodua’s selfless action, hence the accolade, “Mmarima a wo wo Asante man mu” (Men in the Asante Kingdom). The towns surrounding Kumawu are all historically related to the people of Kumawu. For instance, the chief of Besoro is believed to be a grandson of Nana Tweneboa-Kodua.