The Asantehene’s Palace, Manhyia, was the point of all the eyeballs in Ghana last Sunday, February 5, 2023.
That was when Otumfuo Osei Tutu Ababio celebrated his first Akwasidae of the year which was carried live on all Onua platforms ranging from TV to radio, online and social media.
The colourful event brought people from far and near including foreigners from outside the country to witness the beautiful culture of the Asante Kingdom.
The meaning and significance of the Akwasidae as explained by Monarchical Historian, Osei-Bonsu Safo-Kantanka is based on the days of the week according to the Akan calendar.
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The two syllabic word has the “Akwasi” relating to Sunday whilst the “Dae” according to the historian is a place of sleep, meaning the chiefs only visit that place on Sundays.
He explained further that they go there to supplicate their pleas to the gods to hear them out.
The Akwasidae can either be organised inside the palace or at the forecourt where it is open to the general public. When it is brought outside, where the Otumfuo and his chiefs sit, together with the queen is called Bogyawe.
During his interaction with Captain Smart Sunday, the man who conducts research in history, archaeology, language, culture and tradition for Manhyia disclosed Bogyawe is made up of two syllables which are “Bogya/Mogya” meaning blood in the Akan dialect and “We” to wit dry.
He says when a matter is adjudicated at the Palace, the guilty party is made to provide some sheep for Nananom. One or two of the animals depending on the nature of the issue and number of sheep provided is slaughtered at the spot.
In view of this, every blood that customarily drops at Manhyia dries up at that spot hence the name, Bogyawe to wit where the blood dries.
However, Osei-Bonsu Safo-Kantanka explains that, Bogyawe refers to the entire forecourt of the Palace where the durbar is held but not just the exact spot the blood dries up.
After the Asantehene sits, all other sub-chiefs go and pay homage to him including special dignitaries who grace the event.
When OnuaOnline enquired of the significance of His Majesty’s stool at that particular spot during the Akwasidae, Safo-Kantanka said Otumfuo sits there as a liaison between his subjects and the gods during the supplication.
By Felix Anim-Appau|Onuaonline.com
