The rationale for why these Akan, Ewe, and Dangme clans united to become one ethnic group; Ada
It’s a fascinating tale of how three distinct ethnic groups in Ghana made the decision to converge and become one people, known today as the Adas.
An account of how the Dangme people, one of the many tribes located throughout the nation, decided to relocate to the country’s south-eastern region is given. This occurred some 700 years ago.
Priests were in charge of them as they made their home in the Okor Hwemie forest.
In the same time frame, there was a conflict between the Ashantis and the Denkyiras called the Denkyira War, which caused some members of both tribes to split. According to legend, these individuals wandered off from the Ashanti and Denkyira tribes in search of a new home.
At some point, they ran into the Dagme group, which had already made its way to Okor Hwemie, and both groups made the decision to stick together after taking into account the support they could provide for one another.
Stool father of the Kabiawe Yumu tribe in Ada, Numo Israel Kartei Abram Akuako, provided more information about what transpired to Wonder Ami Adu-Asare on this episode of People & Places.
The first tribe to migrate to this location was the Dangme tribe, who were with other Ga Dangme people in a place called Lorlovo, about 700 years ago in the Eastern Regional part of Ghana, close to the Volta River. “Ada is composed of three major different tribes; they are not one tribe that migrated to this place, rather, the first tribe to have migrated to this place were the Ga Dangme people.”
“They were in love with the Ewes and the Akans together, but when they became separated, four Dangme clans travelled south-east to a forest called Okor Hwemie. They were known as Okor—pure people—and were guided by priests. Leaders like Adi, Korli, and Lommo were in charge of them. According to Numo Israel Kartei Abram Akuako, these people were hunters, fishermen, and traders.
“Then the Akans, who are my ancestors together with my queen, arrived. During the Ashanti and Denkyira War, they were the Ashantis and Denkyiras, and they engaged the King of Ashanti and Denkyira in combat. As a result, they left their own blood relatives and went in search of a place to live as well. As the first tribe they encountered, the Dangme, they came.
They joined them in the Okor Forest under Kabu’s leadership. Once they joined forces, they understood how much they could benefit one another, he continued.
The Akans and Dangmes allegedly made the decision to leave the jungle in search of better territory to settle on after some time, according to Numo Israel Kartei.
Then they made their way to the plains close to Songhor, where salt is still mined today in Ada.
The Kogbor and Owhoewem people, two more Ewe groups that were wandering and seeking a settlement site, later came across these people and chose to join them.
The Kogbor and Owhoewem people among the Ewes who joined them later, as well as the Kudragbe people who were already residing on one of the Islands in Ada, gave the Ewe story a somewhat different twist, he continued.
“They eventually relocated to the plains close to the salt, where the Ewes later joined them.
“The Kogbor people were the first to come (meaning to dwell with the Okors), but there was one Ewe tribe called the Kudragbe clan who were already there, near the riverside on the Island. Since the Owhoewem also joined them when the Adas arrived, we now have 3 Ewe clans, joining the 4 Dangme clans and the Akan clans. When the Adas arrived, they also spotted them and were commanded by one Ahaviatse.
Numo Israel Kartei remarked that the Ada nation is made up of 10 clans today rather than the previous 5 or 7.