O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie above thy deep and dreamless sleep the stars go by, yet in the dark streets shineth, the everlasting light. The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight – For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above.
IT WAS supposed to be a simple activity of inaugurating (some say commissioning) a community centre in a town about 12 kilometers from Kumasi. The Community Centre is named after Nana Akosua Tutuwaa, and is a ‘memorial’ centre, because Nana Osei Bosompem III, the Adako Jachie-hene was only four years when his mother departed from this earth.
Fred Frimpong (a lawyer of no mean repute) was the Chairman for the occasion, and the “high table” for the invited guests was bedecked by the colourful kente cloths worn by the Municipal Chief Executive, indefatigable Beatrice Serwaa Derchie, the M. P. for Ejisu constituency, handsome-looking John Kumah,… (and other very important guests).
The host Nana Osei-Bosompem was gay in his kente cloth made of variegated colours with a top to match. So were all the chiefs under him: Nana Adwoa Sarfowaa Tufuwaa the Jachie-hemaa, Nana Mensah the Abontendom hene, Nana Kwaku Dua, Gyasehene, the Adontehene Nana Kankam, Nana Amoako Secretary.
For the Chairman, it was a home-coming, he being a brother to the Jachie-hene because they both trace their ancestry to Nsuta. History has it that the Abakomahene Nana Kwadwo Bosompem left Nsuta during the Kokompe War around 1888, and was advised by the Ashanti King at the time to stop his wanderings and settle down. Nana Kwadwo Bosompem was advised to see Oheneyere Kyerewaa Amponsem at Okyerekrom for the land beyond River Saman (where Adako Jachie is now located). The Adako – Jachie was to serve Nana Buabasa – which they still do. This was the time when Kwaw was growing rice at a place now called Kwamo; and the Asante King had ordered that his vassals should take as their booty the wealth of Nsensanso from the chief, Asua, leading to Nsensanso being called Fomasua.
And earlier on that same Sunday, the bridge over River Saman which had collapsed since 1968 and had been built with the active support and assistance of the Member of Parliament for Ejisu was also inaugurated. That was happy news for the local people of Okyerekrom, Kokobra, Tikrom, Ekyem, many of whose children acquired their Primary and Middle School education at Fomasua Anglican. In “those days”, ‘Fomasua was the “education hub” and the town attracted students from Adako – Jachie, Ekyem, Tikrom, Baworo, Kwamo, Bebre, Anwomaso as well as the children of the staff of KNUST. The teachers: Mr. Hagan, Mr. Vulo, Mr. Antwi, Mrs. Essilfie really loved their work and “polished” the students. River Saman attracted the lorry drivers who would wash their lorries there. The boys would not need any payment: their joy was in going for a ride in the lorries. Now, the river serves another purpose – fish farming. The site where there was a fetish Obonkabin has been offered by the Adako-Jachie hene to the MP to develop four fish ponds for the youth – NPP Youth in Aqua – culture. This will surely engage the youth and earn them some income.
For accountability sake, the Town Devlopment Committee has been charged to run the Community Centre: they are to render proper account to the town. Social activities like funerals, weddings.. can be held there for a fee – thus relieving the school park of the burden that used to be brought on it.
The hard – working Ejisu Municiapl Chief Executive Ms Serwaa Derchie had very nice words for the Chief and elders of Adako – Jachie. Any time she visited the town, it was to inaugurate one project or another: the Chief’s Palace, the Queen’s Palace, the Adako-Jachie Stool house at Nsuta, the Basic School and J H. S. School Blocks, Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem I. C. T. Centre, the CHPS compound and a well-built public toilet. Of course, the Ejisu Municipal Assembly had supported the building of the Community Centre with 100 bags of cement, with the MP assisting substantially with the roofing.
At the ceremony, several personalities displayed their love for the town by offering various amounts: the Chairman and the Adako-Kyereme family offered nearly GH¢20,000, Sekyere Abankwa, GH¢1,000; DBS GH¢5,000; Kojo Ampong of ECOBANK GH¢5,000. Other donees included Prefoss GH¢10,000; Donyma GH¢8,000, Agyeiwaa Memorial Centre GH¢5,000; Osei Kufour GH¢5,000. (At the time of going to the press more donations were being received).
Veteran educationist I. K. Gyasi, was there in person and opined: “This is worth reporting This is what delights Otumfuo Osei Tutu II about his chiefs – you know, Otumfuo is development – oriented.” And we thought so, too, that when the history of Adako – Jachie comes to be written, the man at the centre now cannot be ignored, Nana Osei Bosompem III has helped to uplift the image of the town. From a small village of only about two hundred inhabitants, it has grown into a sprawling town of nearly 10,000. It is growing … owing to the foresight and vision of the chief. We should thank God for small mercies. Do we need to remind our cousins and friends (Lawyer Osei Kwame, Nkwantabisa, Nantwi…) that now that the bridge over River Saman has been restored the “tradition goes on”. Our fathers used to visit one another at Adako-Jachie and Kokobra on foot using River Saman; we can do it by car… and do not forget the heavy fufu meal at Nantwi’s house last Easter!
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From Africanus Owusu-Ansah