Episode 1
1) The Denkyira Kingdom was founded by a woman who was a priestess and a queen around 1498. She was all-in-one personality; spiritualist and a warrior. Contrary, most kingdoms in Ghana were founded mostly by a warrior who was assisted by a priest or priestess such as Ndawura Djakpa and Fati Muripke of the Gonjas, Komfo Anokye and Osei Tutu I of Asante, etc. The Denkyira founder was a warrior and a priestess. She was called Nana Ayekra Adeboe. She could command rain to stop and fall, command food for his people in times of difficulty and many miracles. She gave several prophecies about the future of her Kingdom and its impact in West Africa.
2) The Denkyira Black Stool, the Bankam Dwa, was the first and only Akan stool that truly descended from the sky. It descended around 1500. Nana Ayekra Adeboe after several conjurations and incantations caused a heavy rain to fall. During the rain, the stool descended and landed on oil palm tree. She took the stool and blackened it to be the black stool and soul of the Denkyira Kingdom as mandated by Twene-Adu-ampon Kwame. The stool is made of golden pearls. The story of the origin of the Bankam Dwa was told to all those who were under Denkyira. About 190 years later, Osei Tutu and Okomfo Anokye learnt the story of the descension of the Denkyira Bankam Dwa in the 1640s when they were being schooled at Denkyira Palace, Abankesieso. They later adopted the story and recreated theirs.
3) The Denkyira Queen, Nana Ayekra Adeboe, was the first to introduce the use of palanquin in Akandom. After the descension of the Bankam Dwa in 1500, after several consultations, it was revealed that one of the laws of the Bankam Dwa was that its priestess/priests should sit on Apa (wooden flat surface) to lead processions or dance during trance/channeling. So Nana Ayekra Adeboe was always made to sit on apa to lead traditional processions or dance during her channeling/trance. This act of sitting and leading the procession became known as apa-kan (the wooden flat surface that leads the procession) in Denkyira. All Denkyira Kings who came later as mandated by the Bankam Dwa had to sit on apa and lead processions – Denkyira Kings were priest kings. Originally, each Denkyira King had to be chosen by the Bankam Dwa as it was enshrined in the customs and traditions of the Bankam Dwa. Nana Ayekra Adeboe is similar to the Biblical Moses, they both communicated with God on behalf of their people and established the spiritual laws for their people. The custom of a Denkyira King being carried in a palanquin was later copied by other chiefs and Kings in Akan. Anytime you see a chief or king in palanquin, just know that it is the custom of the Bankam Dwa.
Adawu Dawu Denkyira, Pentemprem Mene Sono.
Written by: Nana Boadu Ntiamoah Secretary, DHF
