History Of Sunyani

 

The history of Sunyani revolves around a hunter by name Boahen Korkor and another one from Akwamu. Boahen Korkor was a member of the Amakom royal house in Asante. He migrated with his sister, Nyamaa and a large retinue in the 17th century. Boahen Korkor's first settlement was Tanoso near Tano River where a tusk(asonmmen) was installed. The post where the tusk was installed became a shrine for the Tano River God.

When the Tano river God became famous and attracted many followers, the Asantehene dispatched his officials to Tanoso where they could also attend the Deity. Out of fear of the domination by the new settlers, Boahen Korkor and his followers moved further and settled at Abesim where a large group of Akwamu (Dormaa) migrants from present day Eastern region settled. Still apprehensive of annexation by the Dormaa people, Boahen Korkor moved further westward and settled on the banks of a stream named Nsankronsua. 

While at Nsankronsuano, that is at the banks of Nsankrosua, Boahen Korkor met Nana Antepim, another hunter(who had migrated from Denkyira). The two named their place 'Gubre', meaning a stream that refreshes. The Gubre stream became the natural boundary of the hunting grounds of Antepim who settled at Odomase and Boahen Korkor.

From Nsankronsuano, Boahen Korkor settled permanently on a parcel of land where elephants were flayed, along with another hunter called Nana Bofotia from Akwamu. The settlement was named "Asonodwae", thus a place for flaying elephants, now corrupted into Sunyani.

Before Sunyani became the capital of Brong Ahafo region in 1959, it had served as a district headquarters since 1906 when the British colonialists moved the headquarters of the North–Western Ashanti from Odomase. The first British administrators settled at Sampa which was then called Sikasoko. Circumstances compelled them to settle at Odomase near Sunyani. The prevailing conditions at Odomase were not congenial for the colonialists hence they relocated to Sunyani where they had regular water supply and other conditions conductive to administrative work.

After the defeat of the Asante by the British in 1900, the federated states of Asante including those in the present day Bono Ahafo region reverted to their autonomous status. The Brong Ahafo area later became an administrative unit called Western Province of Ashanti. On 29th December, 1901, Captain T.E. Fell, acting on behalf of the Chief Commissioner, entered into Land Acquisition Agreement with the Sunyani Stool then occupied by Nana Kwadwo Barnie and acquired the lands on behalf of the Gold Coast Government.

Sunyani has become very populous, big and famous for its numerous hotels and other accomodation establishments. The emerging city is generally calm and neat with a very beautiful layout. Due to its position as a regional capital in the central belt of Ghana, Sunyani has become a conference destination of Ghana where people from the north and southern sections of the country converge for meetings and conferences. The omanhene of Sunyani is Nana Bosoma Asor Nkrawiri ll.

Reference: Anane–Agyei, N.A–K. (2012) Ghana's Brong Ahafo Region: The story of an African Society in the heart of the world. Abibrem Communications.

With edits

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