Adanwomase
History of Adanwomase
Like the founding of many of the Ashante towns and villages which often began as hunter’s huts, camps or bases where hunters treated their exploits, the hut or camp which is present – day Adanwomse might have been first settled by the Ekuona and Oyoko clans or tribes from Adanse Ayaase possibly around the year 1700. 
One Ntiamoa Panin with his three sisters Akyaa Benkum (being the eldest of the three sisters) Amma Afisaah and Abena Frimpomma arrived in Kumsi. They fell on one Nana Darko Mprah, a linguist of the late Nana Osei Tutu, the Asantehene, at that time. Nana Darko Mprah led them to see Otumfour and after they had greeted him and had put the purpose of their visit to him, Otumfour handed them over to one Nana Owusu Afriyie, his son and who was the then Akyempimhene, to settle them because they carried a message that they had come to be helped to get a place to settle. On receiving them, Akyempimhene enquired from them where they had come from. On being told that they had come from Adanse Ayaase, Akyempimhene quickly called to mind one man in the person of kokoo Boakye, one of his father’s hunters and whose hunting grounds were beyond Sakora Worae, also of having come from the same place or town with them. He asked them if they ever knew him which they confirmed their knowledge of him except that he belonged to the Oyoko clan or tribe while they belonged to the Ekuona. Akyempimhene told them he would take them to him and stay with them at the palace he had built his hut so that they would be one people and be his ( Akyempimhene) people too. This has continued up to this present day. Kokoo Boakye had built a hut under a big ‘danwoma’ tree on an upper land few distance from Bommohwe stream where he treated his hunting exploits before taking them to the palace in Kumasi. He had made the place a home where he enjoyed life. It is said that the then Juabenhene became dissatisfied with him and at one stage confiscated all the meat Kumasi because he saw no reason why kokoo Boakye stayed and operated on his stool land but was not given a share in the booty that came out from the operations. The then Juaben thought that Kokoo Boakye hunted for Akyempimhene alone not knowing that part of the exploits went to Asanthene. This land dispute and Juabenhene’s dissatisfaction existed for a long time until in 1916 when one Mr. Fuller, the then Ashanti Regional commissioner, stepped in and finally set up the land boundaries separating the two towns. Mr. Fuller used Rivers Oda, Pako, Bommohye, Amatwoa, Opuni, Ntiaa and Afiasu.
At places where rivers as natural boundaries were not available he would use pillars, especially between Adanwomse and Safo, Adanwomase and Bonwire.
Kokoo Boakye named his hut ‘Danwomase’. The prefix ‘A’ was later added to bring out what actually went on under the ‘danwomase’ tree. ‘Ada’- have slept. ‘Ada danwoma ase’ was simplified to become Adanwomase. Under the ‘danwomase’ tree was their first resting or sleeping place before the forest was hewed down to expand the settlement.
Tribal wars at that often created fears and uncertainties and made people always be on the move to seek security elsewhere. These reasons and others brought other clans or tribes to join the settlers. Ntiamoah Panin was made the leader of the settle and his Ekuona family has since his time been the royals and chiefs of the town. Their chronology as chiefs follows: -
1. Nana Ntiamoah Panin
2. Nana Antwi
3. Nana Kwadwo Tiah
4. Nana Nkansa
5. Nana Afriyie
6. Nana Okyei
7. Nana Opoku
8. Nana Fosu
9. Nana Antwi ( from Akyaa Benkum’s line. From 1964 to date)
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ADANWOMASE VISITOR CENTER
Ghana has a lot offer in terms of cultural wealth and diversity. With the growth of the tourism industry , the cultural sector has the potential to play an increasing economic role.
Recognizing the importance of cultural heritage , particularly in relation to traditional textile, and its potential role economic development, the European Commission accepted in November 2007 , to support the "Ghana Traditional Textile Project: Conservation and Tourism Development" with GH CEDIS 340,000, funded through a grant over a period of three years. The project is being implemented under the Nature Conservation Research Centre (NCRC).
This project follows an innovative approach in making the link between cultural heritage, preservative of cultural tradition and economic development in order to improve the life of the people of four traditional textile communities in three different regions(Volta, Ashanti and Northern Regions) and to stimulate tourism facilities in four selected towns (Adanwomase,Kpetoe, Ntonso and Daboya)
This is intended to generate more revenue, create jobs and therefore reduce the existing poverty of the residents in the area and its surroundings and improving their social and economic conditions.
Furthermore, the Ghana Traditional Textile Project has also the potential to contribute to regional integration in the cultural sector, promoting cultural richness and intangible values of Ghanaian traditional textiles across Ghana and hopefully also West Africa and increasing the number of tourists coming to Ghana from all around the world to appreciate and enjoy a world-class traditional textile tourism experience.
Within the project activities, the Adanwomase Visitor's Centre in the Ashanti Region was officially launched on April 29, at Adanwomase.
With the CISP programme, the European Commission intends to support the National Cultural Strategy of Ghan by funding activities in the areas of human resources development, employment and income generation, research and support to non state actors from the Cultural sector. The main target group are civil society organizations because of their commitment to the development of democracy and the promotion of shared values, such as national unity within the context of ethnic diversity.
The contribution from the European Commission for the CISP is 2 Million Euros over a period of three and a half years, til end of 2010. All project activities are implemented by National Commission on Culture.
With the realisation of the Adanwomase Visitor's Centre, the joint efforts in the planning and preparation of the project have been proved successful and the community of Adanwomase has now the means and the opportunity to enhance the capacity of traditional weavers across Ghana. The centre provides a place where traditional weavers can show/expose their products and where tourists can come, appreciate and buy traditional textiles. It's a simple building with a main room where textiles are displayed and a small office for the centre administrator.
It is important to stress that the construction of the centre is going on hand in hand with building capacity of the people. Indeed , the European Commission would have missed an important objective without investing in the most specious resource of Adanwomase: its people. That is why partnerships established with private tourism sector, training of guides and tourism service providers and other capacity building activities are also taking place within the framework of this project. Ms. Sara Piccoli, Cultural Programme Officer at the EC Delegation in Accra, attended the event. In the larger context of the EC support to culture in Ghana, this project creates important synergy and complementary with the Cultural Initiatives Support Programme in Ghana, also well known as CISP programme
Education
Education is the key to development. The inhabitants of Adanwomase knew this as far back in 1937 and built its own community school by using thatched structure and ran it. However, its erratic nature came to an end in 1939 when Catholicism or the catholic (faith) church came to the town and started school officially. Since that time the people have been giving every effort all kinds of schools that come to the community.
In 1953 a middle school finally came to the town to save the town’s pupils from traveling to far places to receive the continuity of their schooling.
Before the year 1960 and after, many scholars had sprung up in Adanwomase. There were many scholars’ students in the secondary, technical, commercial, teaching and nurses training institutions and other high schools. Some even managed to enter the universities and one Amma Serwaa became a lecturer at the university.
Presently, there are several basic schools in Adanwomase and a Government Senior High School. Private Schools exist alongside the public ones in the town.
