The lawyer, historian, and regular guest on the Max Morning Dew, Lawyer Yaw Frimpong Anokye, shared the history of the ‘Bantama’ people of the Ashanti region.
It is a general misconception that all the tribes and people who settled in the Ashanti kingdom, modern-day Ashanti region, is of Akan descent. Lawyer Anokye shed light on this and educated the audience of the Max Morning Dew, the real origin of the ‘Bantama’.
According to Lawyer Anokye, the ‘Amansie’ people, known now as the Ashanti people needed more soldiers because they had lost men due to the war they fought against the Denkyira people.
The ‘Dagomba’ men had thick and tall statures, which served as an advantage to them in times of war, and were very good war strategists. The Ashanti people brought the Dagomba men in to fight by their side when the need arises.
They were given a place of settlement by the Ashanti king at the time, Osei Tutu, the present-day Bantama. Lawyer Anokye revealed that Bantama means, “My father gave it to me” in the Dagomba Language, referring to the land the Ashanti King gave them for their settlement.
Okomfo Anokye took the position that was held by the ‘Asafo’ people as the war generals of the Ashanti kingdom and gave it to the ‘Bantama’ people.
