NANA KWAKU DUAH I AND THE METHODISTS

This is the first in a series of articles on Christianity and its beginnings in AFRICA.

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NANA KWAKU DUAH I AND THE METHODISTS

The headquarters of the Kumasi Diocese of the Methodist Church Ghana has been named after Nana Kwaku Duah I. Why so? And who is this Nana Kwaku Duah I?

Nana Kwaku Duah I is the 10^th Asantehene who succeeded Nana Osei Yaw Akoto as Kinntefene who g and reigned from August 25^th 1834 to 1867. He was born in 1798 to Nana Boakye Yam Kuma and Nana Ama Serwaa. His wives included Nana Sompremo Konadu and Nana Takyiaw.

He is particularly noted for his bravery and valor exhibited in the Gyaman war of 1818 and the battle of Katamanso of 1826 in which he commanded a division.    

Quite apart from these distinguishable achievements, to the “Methodists”, he is also credited with his immense support and contribution towards the introduction of Christianity as a whole and in particular Methodism to Ashanti right from the onset. Rev. T. B. Freeman described him in his journal as the “nursing-father to the heralds of salvation in Ashanti”

Nana Kwaku Duah I is described rightly so because, without his support, the missionary enterprise of Rev. Thomas Birch Freeman to Ashanti would have been quite impossible. He warmly welcomed Rev. Thomas Birch Freeman, the missionary who is known to have introduced Methodism into Ashanti, and frequently showered him and his attendants with various gifts during his stay in Ashanti ranging from gold to food supplies.

In response to Rev. Freeman’s request for permission to build a mission house in Kumasi, Nana Kwaku Duah promised protection and the supply of land for the project. True to his word he provided the land in a very healthy and airy part of town now K.O. He even allotted a large native-house for the residence of the missionaries until the new building be completed. This land now houses several properties of the Methodist Church Ghana, including the NANA KWAKU DUAH I METHODIST HOUSE, also the Diocesan Headquarters and the K.O. Methodist Schools, the first school in Kumasi.

The Rev. Freeman summed up the contributions of Nana Kwaku Duah I to the founding of Methodism in Ashanti in the following words: “our important negotiations with the King have been brought to so comfortable a close that, he has taken Mr. Brooking under his protection as  a resident Christian Missionary in Kumasi; given us land in a very healthy and airy part of town on which to build a Mission- house; allows the people to attend divine service without restraint, and treats us with uniform kindness and attention.

Nana Kwaku Duah I died on 27^th April 1867 and was succeeded by Nana Kofi Karikari in May 1867.

This guest post is by Sarah N. Nkansah

An archivist at the Methodist Diocesan office Kumasi.

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AFCON 2012!....updates and more

It’s here again, the African cup of nations! A festival of African football where the best on the continent compete for the ultimate; the right to be called champions of Africa!

This year, the competition is being hosted by two nations Gabon and E. Guinea. The games kicked off on the 21^{st of Feb.} With a wonderful opening ceremony that saw a great show of rich African culture. One thing that caught my attention though were the beautiful lady performers; graceful in movement and clad in beautiful traditional cloths

 The opening match was between co-host E. Guinea and Libya….yes. The Libyans competing in an African cup of nations! One would have thought they would have opted for the NATO cup of air strikes….ops... What am I saying!   Ok the match ended with the Libyans a goal down. Guess it’s back to the drawing board for them.

This year’s competition however is without some of the so called big shorts of African football names like Egypt, Cameroun and Nigeria are missing from the roll call…that gives a real chance for pre-tournament favorites Ghana and Ivory Coast to end their years of drought. The cup has eluded the Ghanaians for the past 30 years and the Ivorian’s the past 20 years.

It will be interesting to see which nation lifts this year’s cup. Will it be tournament favorites Ghana or Ivory Coast or the Taranga lions of Senegal who were stunned 2:1 by less fancied Zambia.

Surely we are in for more surprises as the tournament goes on.

Today, Ghana starts their campaign with a game against Botswana. Will the Black stars demolish the Zebras or will they receive a shock of their lives?

Watch this page for the latest updates of AFCON 2012.

Fixtures and results of group stage…….  

  

Group Stage
01-21-2012	E.Guinea	1 – 0	Libya
01-21-2012	Senegal	1 – 2	Zambia
01-25-2012	Libya	2-2	Zambia
01-25-2012	E.Guinea	2-1	Senegal
01-29-2012	E.Guinea	0-1	Zambia
01-29-2012	Libya	2-1	Senegal
01-22-2012	Cote d'Ivoire	1 - 0	Sudan
01-22-2012	Burkina Faso	1 - 2	Angola
01-26-2012	Sudan	2-2	Angola
01-26-2012	Cote d'Ivoire	2-0	Burkina Faso
01-30-2012	Sudan	2-1	Burkina Faso
01-30-2012	Cote d'Ivoire	2-0	Angola
01-23-2012	Gabon	2 - 0	Niger
01-23-2012	Morocco	1 - 2	Tunisia
01-27-2012	Niger	1-2	Tunisia
01-27-2012	Gabon	3-2	Morocco
01-31-2012	Gabon	1-0	Tunisia
01-31-2012	Niger	0-1	Morocco
01-24-2012	Ghana	1-0	Botswana
01-24-2012	Mali	1-0	Guinea
01-28-2012	Botswana	1-6	Guinea
01-28-2012	Ghana	2-0	Mali
02-01-2012	Botswana	1-2	Mali
02-01-2012	Ghana	1-1	Guinea

  

 Credits :cafonline.com

Proverbs brewed in the African pot !

Welcome to the Lane...!

Our elders say “a word to the wise is enough” I never understood this this statement until recently, it simply means that a fool does not heed to advise! How true….there is also a saying in Akan that goes like “akwa nyasafo ye bu nu b3 nye ka na asem(forgive me for my bad twi) this literally means that “a wise person is best advised through a proverb not a long sermon” ….no wonder many African languages are laced with  so many proverbs…from the Berber of north Africa, the Akans, Ewe, Gas, all of Ghana, the Ebo and the Yoruba of Nigeria and right down to the Zulu of south Africa, Africans employ this device to record history and pass on wisdom.

The use of proverbs in one’s speech shows ones level of command of a language. It is therefore not strange for an elder to start a conversation with a proverb pause with one and end the conversation with another. So the next time you speak with an elder pay close attention and don’t miss those snippets of wisdom brewed in the African pot.

Below is an index of proverbs taken from all over the continent…I will keep on updating this page till I get all of them here -on the lane-almost an impossibility but try I will!

Ghanaian proverbs    

African proverbs..

Hi there...I was just looking through my notes and I found two wonderful African proverbs I will like to share with you.
"clouds do not always mean rain but smoke is a sure sign of  fire"

"A stranger does not skin a sheep that is paid as a fine at a chief''s court"

Interesting thoughts..........what do you think?

A Review of Techno HD51

Welcome To the lane, this is my first product review. hope you enjoy it. A few years ago, as mobile phones were becoming popular in these parts of the world, the market leaders were Nokia and Sony Ericson with phones that cost so much but could do no more than making and receiving calls, back then phones and network access were so expensive that only few Africans could afford them. 

Then came the savior ; what were referred to as “china phones” (usually imitated phones branded as Nokia or Ericson), cheap feature phones that could do more than just voice. Some came with features such as TV, wap, radio, mp3 players…everything one could think of. Most of these phones were however not durable and soon gained a not so good reputation.  

Yet china phones have persevered and have become more popular. Today some come with their own brand names. An example is the Techno brand of phones; feature phones made by Techno Telecom Limited. My review today is about the Techno HD51. 
I fell in love with this phone the day I saw it’s ad on television. The HD51 is a feature phone with an attractive design , a metallic look much like the Nokia 1600, with a display of 2.2”ips.The functions of the phone include camera, wap, dual sim, radio, Bluetooth,, torchlight(for any eventual power outage)  what I love most is the TV feature, compatible with free to air analogue stations. The picture quality is most impressive when the signal is strong. It also has a 1.3 mega pixel camera that gives very good shots. Now let’s come to the features that make this phone almost a smart phone….JAVA. This makes it possible for the phone to run java compactible applications like opera, twitter, Facebook, games, Skype etc. 


The most important of these to me is the opera. The phone comes with opera 3.0 basic, this makes browsing quite an experience..... a million times better than the old wap we all know. I have since been able download and use opera 3.0(advanced) and opera 4.3 accent. I however have been unable to install opera 6.1. I keep getting this error message(default game cannot be updated) currently the opera 4.3 works best and I am able to download pictures and video at reasonable speeds(for such a phone) I have also installed apps like NIV bible, Google maps and some racing games. The battery life is ok, about 48 standby, 3hours talk time and 6hours browsing time.

The video plays 3gp and mp4 files.  my only complaint  about this phone is that it goes off by itself especially after several hours of browsing. A problem that is probably due to battery quality. Another problem is the phones cover or housing, mine has metallic plating and unfortunately this plating is already coming off after just 3months of use.

That said, I believe that the techno HD51 is a good buy for these ups and down sides. 


It cost just about $80, a good price as compared to the Nokia C2 -00 which has most of techno HD51 features except the TV function. The Nokia C2-00 goes for around $140. So if you long for an IPhone 4s or a blackberry touch like I do but don’t have the means, I recommend the techno HD51 for now.   

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Asante symbols-Adinkra

Welcome to the blaklane

Since this is my first real post I will like to say a little about why I decided to start this blog. A few years ago while I was writing my undergraduate thesis (something to do with Ewe chieftaincy and textiles) I run into a few problems one of which was an amazing scarcity of information on Africa and African culture –yes there is a lot of information out there but mostly about war and famine.


 Fortunately, there is more to Africa than that, a lot more, a continent flowing with milk and honey, an amazingly rich cultural heritage and last but not the least, great people!

Today’s post is about a group of symbols common to the Akan people and in particular the Asante, a tribe that can be found in the middle belt or the mostly forest region of Ghana. The Asante have a rich history, so rich that a single post can’t tell it all not even a thousand…., from the beautifully coloured kente cloth, the graceful movements of  Adowa dancers, the awesome story behind the golden stool and many more... I will tell you all about that later right here on the blaklane.

Well, the legend behind the Adinkra symbols has it that it was named after a king of the Gyaman people(a  group of people now located in the Ivory coast ) Nana Kofi  Adinkra who had been defeated and captured in war by the Asante’s for no less a crime than having copied the “Golden stool” ,(legend has it that this stool represents the soul and absolute power of the Asante kingdom) Well the story goes that Nana Adinkra wore patterned cloth which was interpreted as a way of expressing sorrow on his being taken to Kumasi, the ancient and present  capital of the Asante kingdom. 


The Asante’s later adopted these symbols, developing it to suite their own philosophical outlook and started painting it in their cloth and using it in their pottery and metal works.

Adinkra literally means “farewell” and is thus used mostly to decorate clothes that are worn on important occasions especially at funerals of family relations and friends to signify sorrow and to bid farewell to the deceased.

Adinkra symbols convey various themes, beliefs and philosophy of the Asante. They are mostly proverbial and carry a great deal of wisdom.

Below is a list of some Adinkra symbols and their meaning.  

ADINKRAHENE "chief of adinkra symbols" greatness, charisma, leadership AKOBEN "war horn" vigilance, wariness AKOFENA "sword of war" courage, valor AKOKONAN • "the leg of a hen" mercy, nurturing AKOMA • "the heart" patience & tolerance AKOMA NTOSO "linked hearts" understanding, agreement ANANSE NTONTAN "spider's web" wisdom, creativity ASASE YE DURU "the Earth has weight" divinity of Mother Earth AYA "fern" endurance, resourcefulness BESE SAKA "sack of cola nuts" affluence, abundance, unity BI NKA BI "no one should bite the other" peace, harmony BOA ME NA  ME MMOA WO "help me and let me help you" cooperation, interdependence DAME-DAME name of a board game intelligence, ingenuity DENKYEM "crocodile" adaptability DUAFE "wooden comb" beauty, hygiene, feminine qualities DWENNIMMEN • "ram's horns" humility and strength EBAN "fence" love, safety, security EPA "handcuffs" law, justice, slavery ESE NE TEKREMA "the teeth and the tongue" friendship, interdependence FAWOHODIE "independence" independence, freedom, emancipation FIHANKRA • "house/compound" security, safety FOFO "a yellow-flowered plant" jealousy, envy FUNTUNFUNEFU DENKYEMFUNEFU "siamese crocodiles" democracy, unity in diversity GYE NYAME • "except for God" supremacy of God HWEMUDUA • "measuring stick" examination, quality control HYE WONHYE • "that which cannot be burnt" imperishability, endurance KETE PA "good bed" good marriage KINTINKANTAN • "puffed up extravagance" arrogance, extravagance KWATAKYE ATIKO "hairstyle of Kwatakye, a war hero" bravery, valor MATE MASIE "what I hear, I keep" wisdom, knowledge, prudence ME WARE WO "I shall marry you" commitment, perseverance MFRAMADAN "wind-resistant house" fortitude, preparedness MMERE DANE "time changes" change, life's dynamics MMUSUYIDEE "that which removes ill luck" good fortune, sanctity MPATAPO "knot of reconciliation" peacemaking, reconciliation MPUANNUM "five tufts" (of hair) priestly office, loyalty, adroitness NEA ONNIM NO SUA A, OHU "he who does not know can know from learning" knowledge, life-long education NEA OPE SE OBEDI HENE "he who wants to be king" service, leadership NKONSONKONSON • "chain links" unity, human relations NYAME DUA "tree of god" God's protection and presence NKYIMU the crossed divisions made on adinkra cloth before printing skillfulness, precision NKYINKYIM • "twistings" initiative, dynamism, versatility NSAA type of hand-woven cloth excellence, genuineness, authenticity NSOROMMA • "child of the heavens" guardianship NYAME BIRIBI  WO SORO • "God is in the heavens" hope NYAME NNWU NA MAWU • "God never dies, therefore I cannot die" life after death NYAME NTI "by God's grace" faith & trust in God NYAME YE OHENE "God is King" majesty and supremacy of God NYANSAPO "wisdom knot" wisdom, ingenuity, intelligence and patience ODO NNYEW FIE KWAN • "love never loses its way home" power of love OKODEE MMOWERE "talons of the eagle" bravery, strength ONYANKOPON ADOM NTI BIRIBIARA BEYE YIE "By God's grace, all will be well" hope, providence, faith OSRAM NE NSOROMMA "the moon and the star" love, faithfulness, harmony OWO FORO ADOBE "snake climbing the raffia tree" steadfastness, prudence, diligence OWUO ATWEDEE "the ladder of death" mortality PEMPAMSIE "sew in readiness" readiness, steadfastness SANKOFA • "return and get it" learn from the past SANKOFA • (alternate version) SESA WO SUBAN "I change or transform my life" transformation TAMFO BEBRE • "the enemy will stew in his own juice" jealousy WAWA ABA "seed of the wawa tree" hardiness, toughness, perseverance WOFORO DUA PA A "when you climb a good tree" support, cooperation WO NSA DA MU A "if your hands are in the dish" democracy, pluralism

References

ADINKRA - Cultural Symbols of the Asante people

By

Valentina A. Tetteh

NCC

A History of Ghana

By F. K Buah

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