Five clans make up the Ada Traditional Area. They are comprised of the Adibiawe, Lomobiawe, Terkperbiawe and Dangbebiawe and the last group, Kabiawe were strangers who joined them from Asante Akyim, Akwamu and Bantama as warlords.
However, the paramountcy is occupied by the Kabiawe who are the strangers. How this became possible has been clarified by Asafoatsengua Kotoko Dabra V, Senior Divisional Chief of Kabiawe Koonor clan. He explains to Onuaonline’s Felix Anim-Appau, how such tradition became possible.
“You see it was war, we were stronger, we led them to fight series of wars, we conquered series of wars for the Ada’s. That is why we also do the red. We pour blood and they are like the peaceful group who don’t like matters of blood and that’s why they are white.
“But we the Akans, we are warriors and so we led the wars. So my name Kabiawe Koonor, I am part of them at Kowhenu, but because I am fearless, with the name Kotoko Debrah, they made me sit at the entrance. And that’s why I have the name Kabiawe Koonor. Because I left their midst to come and stay at the entrance so that if an enemy approaches, I will be the first to fight them. And since I began to sit there, no war has bypassed my entrance to the main Kowhenu.So I became a very defensive shield for the people Ada,” he disclosed.
He explained further why none of the four main clans cannot assume the role of the paramount chief.
He revealed the goddess that gifted their ancestors the Songor which contains the salt told them not to pour blood and that whenever they breached the condition, they would lose the mineral.
“We came as warriors, and so those who were told not to be red, were the four main Okor Clans. And that is because they want to own the Songor, which will disappear if they do red. So they won’t pour blood and so we the Akans have become their warriors. And so for us to defend them, an oath had to exist between us. And that oath was what happened at Kamateynya and so we are more powerful because we pour the blood that they won’t pour. This made us the strong pillar amongst them, hence our stance in the middle.
“So we always select who becomes the Paramount Chief but before our selected person is enthroned, the four clans, who own the throne will have to accept that person and then take the person through the required ritual procedures. So the throne is for them but only people from our side can sit on the throne, but for that to happen, they have to be in full agreement for our person to be enthroned.
“And so if you a from Kabiawe, and you are selected and enthroned, you can’t be red anymore but your elders and guards will be red. Once you sit on the throne, you also become white and that is why you can see that the current paramount Chief of Ada, Gyekye Abram Kabu Akoako III always does everything with white. He doesn’t wear any gold jewellery or anything aside white even though his origin is from the Bantama people. Even though Bantama is also of Akan heritage, once he sits on the throne, he has to abandon all things that are not white because he has become the overlord of the Songor.
Meaning if he does anything red, he will be in violation of the traditional rules guarding the throne. The Songor has become a legacy for the Ada people and so if you become the chief ruler of Ada, you cannot be in violation of their legacy.
And because he is a good father who ought to protect what the people of Ada have, he will definitely change and do what the four original Okor Clans want just to sustain the Songor Lagoon for the salt to be there for us,” Asafoatsɛngua Dabra V elucidated.
Source: Onuaonline.com|Ghana
