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The Saga of being Ewe… (Final Part)
• The Akuapem Guan and Ewe claim Okomfo Anokye was one of their own
First, it must be pointed out that the Asante have never claimed to own Komfo Anokye as theirs, but they treasure him for having ‘conjured ‘ the Golden Stool from the sky. It is rather the Akuapem Guan and Ewe who claim the great spiritualist as one of their own.
I read about Komfo Anokye and the Asante kingdom in Primary School. In Upper Primary I started hearing the story of one Atsu Tsala who was said to become known as Komfo Anokye. This was almost six decades ago. The wife of Tsala’s twin brother, Etse Tsali, was said to have lived in a thicket called Kleve, west-south-west of Anyako. People feared to go to Kleve because of the spirituality the place evokes even till today.
At age 12, I was asked by my maternal grandmother one day to accompany her to Kleve. We called her Daaɖi, and in her company I had no reason to fear anything. It turned out that twins could go to Kleve without any inhibition. Daaɖi was a twin. She was going to Kleve to look for her twin sister who died when they were still toddlers.
My grandmother chartered a canoe to ferry us to the thicket just about three knots from our home. She led me into the thicket, leaving the boatsman waiting at the landing. In the thicket was a clearing, a dirt floor that looked like having being swept seconds before our arrival. There was no one in sight. It was rather cool in there as opposed to the warmth outside. I took in the foliage that gave ambience to the dreaded Kleve.
Daaɖi said something I could not quite comprehend and a voice that filled the whole place responded and I heard the voice say her twin she inquired about had already returned to the physical plane and was a young girl in some village whose name I cannot recollect and that her grief must be over. The voice told her that the grandson she came with would one day give her twins. I gave this prediction little thought.
It was on our way back that Ɖaaɖi confirmed the story of Tsali and Tsala, who were psychic twins from birth. Their Dad, Akplɔmada (the spear that cannot be thrown), was himself a very powerful spiritualist. As young adults Tsali was notorious for showing off his powers to the chagrin of their father and their village folks.
Tsali would mock people on their way to their farms. He would put a cassava stick in the ground and by the time the people returned from their farms, the cassava he put in the soil hours earlier was ready for harvesting. That was the misuse of powers that got Tsala to go back to Notsie in Togo because he was uncomfortable with the brother’s behaviour.
Tsala returned by way of the Kabakaba hills near Koedze and journeyed to Akwamu. It was said he teleported himself to the west bank of the Volta river. Another narrative was that he commanded a crocodile to ferry him across. Then he went on through Krobo land and settled at Awukugua, then later met an Asante royal at Brekusu and went to Kumasi with him.
Meanwhile, extremely fed up with Tsali and his shenanigans the people grabbed him, tied him up, put him in a sack with a huge rock tied to the sack to add weight and dumped him in the Volta river. They saw him go under. Next day Tsali was spotted on the back of a crocodile with the sack slung over his shoulder with the boulder inside it.
Realising his status with the people, Tsala left, settled at Kleve and married a woman. The boulder is still at Konu, the eastern tip of Anyako today. It’s called Tsali Kpe (Tsali’s Rock).
Now, the Awukugua narrative is that a baby was born with unusual characteristics to one Annor. As a result people would say, “Annor, kye wo bia,” to wit, Annor, look at your child, hence the child being called Anokye. One old friend I had when I was in College at Akropong, Opanyin Akuffo, debunked this narrative. He asserted that there are traditional and customary ways of even giving strange names, but Annor kye is not one. According to him, the name Anokye predated Komfo Anokye.
Opanyin averred that it could have been none of anyone else’s business to ask or tell Annor to look at his own child. To him, this did not add up to make any sense.
“The folks referred to him as Komfo Nokye because they could not pronounce Notsie correctly. They then decided since Anokye was part of their names, they could as well call him thus. Tsala saw their challenge with how to pronounce Notsie and let them call him Anokye instead, “he told me.
He said people were easily called by their places of origin. Maame Fante, Maame Nkran, Egya Lome etc. He added that Akans could not pronounce Notsie and, indeed, names of non-Akan names correctly. After he took me to see the place Komfo Anokye stayed, Opanyin Akuffo narrated in almost same detail as my grandmother did. I was in awe of this octogenarian who was not Ewe yet knew what he was talking about. He was the one who confirmed my long held knowledge that there was cocoa in Ghana before Tetteh Quarshie brought the Fernando Po variety.
The old man confirmed that no one knew how Komfo Anokye died. He simply ‘went away’ as did Tsali. The woman Tsali married did not know how her husband ‘went away’. The mystery accounts for the fear of Kleve. Tsali’s wife was only called Kleve Teshie. She lived alone by herself in the thicket because people feared to go near her.
Nothing planted in the clearing at Kleve will sprout or geminate. No one knows why.
It is said that those who befriended Tsali were told by Tsali himself that his twin brother had gone with some royals to Coomasi (Kumasi) after being in Notsie and Akuapem mountains. He was said to have told people that he and his brother would one day ‘travel together.’
It is up to the reader to decide which narrative makes more sense and closer to the truth. Truth, however, is that the deaths of Komfo Anokye and Tsali were never known or recorded.
Just before my grandmother died in February of 1983 she told her daughter, my aunt, to tell me to take good care of her sisters (my twin daughters) who were toddlers at the time.
There is also the issue of whether kente originated from Bonwire in Ashanti or Kpetoe in the Volta Region. Much as I would personally advocate historical facts to be established and documented, what is rather very important is for our leaders to get kente patented as a Ghanaian product for the economic benefits to the country.
How China comes to produce fabric in kente and adinkra designs beats my mind. It is as if this country is rudderless and has no sense of direction. The Philippines have a white apparel made from sisal that has become a national costume, which in turn rakes in revenue to that country.
An Asante friend who has expertise in Asante linguistics tells me kente is one of many words borrowed into Akan lingo. The Ewe call it kete, which has a convoluted but relevant meaning to the woven fabric.
As a nation we care very little about how to make our indigenous resources attractive enough to take in revenue. Politicking seems to be a more accepted discourse than our economic survival as a people. The direction we are heading does not give hope for the future. Sad, if you asked me.
Writer’s email address: akofa45@yahoo.com
By Dr Akofa K. Segbefia
The driver stopped the vehicle at the gate of the large, fenced property along the Nsawam Highway, and Kakraba stepped out to meet the several workers who had gathered to wait for him.
He greeted them and went straight to the point.
“Gentlemen, I am glad to see that you have almost completed the clearing of the land. I’m happy to report that we have concluded all arrangements with Nana Serebour, and construction of the palace will start in a few days.
“I will need you to go and level the ground, and then come back to start this project. Some workers from a construction company will come and join us.
“My plan is to build twenty houses in four months. Then we will do twenty more until we reach two hundred.
“I am relying on you to help me deliver good-quality work to satisfy our clients and, as I have already indicated to you, I will reward you for your work.”
After an hour’s discussion, he closed the meeting and moved to drive away. Wofa Yaw drew closer.
“Director, can you please spare me five minutes? I would like to discuss a small issue.”
“Why, Wofa Yaw? Your wife has threatened to leave you?”
“No, Director. My wife will never leave me. This concerns a young niece of mine.”
“I hope it’s something I can help with. Please sit in the car and let me hear you.”
“Boss, my niece, Beesiwa, is a polytechnic graduate, very beautiful and with very good character.
“Unfortunately, her parents virtually forced her into a relationship with an idiot based in the US, which affected her badly. She has now recovered from that experience and, Boss, I am respectfully asking if you would find a job for her.
“I promise you that you will never regret it.”
“Well, Wofa Yaw, let me meet her and speak with her. I may be able to help, maybe not in the way you expect, but let me meet her.
“I will not be back here for another week, but I will be at the office throughout next week. You can come with her.”
On Monday morning, Wofa Yaw and Beesiwa were seated at the office by nine o’clock. Three young ladies welcomed them warmly, offered them soft drinks and assured them that Kakraba would be there shortly.
They then returned to their desks and sat behind computers with large screens displaying various building designs.
Kakraba walked in and greeted them warmly. After chatting briefly with the three ladies, he ushered Wofa Yaw and Beesiwa into his office.
“Director, this is my niece, Beesiwa. I mentioned her to you when you came to Nsawam.”
“Yes, indeed. Madam Beesiwa, you are very beautiful, just as your uncle said. Wofa Yaw is my colleague.
“We have just started a building project that will take about three to four years. He mentioned that you have a small problem, so I said I would like to meet you and see how I can help.
“So, Beesiwa, please tell me a little about yourself.”
Beesiwa described her childhood, her school experience, her brief work at the bank and the nasty episode with Sammy Abrokwa, which shattered her peaceful life. She also explained how she had been recovering from the experience.
“I am really sorry to hear this,” Kakraba said. “Now, here is what we are going to do.
“We are a small but very busy company. The three ladies out there spend most of the day on site and come back to report on their work in the morning.
“I have three main projects. The big one is an estate project in Nsawam, where your uncle is one of my main colleagues. I need a personal assistant who can take care of my activities, especially when I am not in town.
“Now, we will have to start with trust. Based on what I know about Wofa Yaw, and based on what you yourself have told me, I think we can start on a sound basis.
“So, Wofa Yaw will take you to my home. You can move into one of the four guest rooms.”
“Sir, I have taken some computer lessons, and I have even done graphics and web design,” Beesiwa said.
“Fantastic! I will give you a good phone and a laptop. I will also arrange computer lessons for you.”
“Now, Wofa Yaw, take her home. My sister, Kuukuwa, will meet you and show you around, and then you can return to Koforidua.
“When would you like to start work?”
“Sir, I would like to start today, but I would need to go and bring my things.”
“No problem. Take a taxi to my house, meet my sister, and let me know what you decide.”
Later that day, Kakraba and the three ladies met with some bank officials to conclude the sale of the three buildings at Adabraka.
They closed at five-thirty and, after rewarding the ladies for their hard work, Kakraba got home just after dark.
He was surprised to find Kuukuwa and Beesiwa sitting at the table enjoying supper.
“What’s happening here?” he asked. “Beesiwa, I thought you would return to Koforidua.”
“She changed her mind,” Kuukuwa said. “We went to the mall and bought a few things for her. Then we came back to cook. She has made some nice changes to your bedroom and cooked a couple of interesting dishes. Sit down; we will serve you.”
“Well, I certainly can’t refuse that. It’s been a busy day.
“So, what’s the plan now? Will Beesiwa go to Koforidua tomorrow, gather her things together and come down?”
“No, I will stay here for a while,” Beesiwa replied. “Kuukuwa bought me the things I need, so I may go back next week. I’m ready to start work. What would you like me to start with?”
“Well, you can come to the office tomorrow morning, meet the three girls and get a feel for what we do.
“Since you are living here, at least for now, we can discuss the plans for the next few weeks.
“Sometimes there are gaps when I travel up north. You can take care of things from now. I think the girls would like having someone like you around.”
By Ekow de Heer
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A frequent question following breast surgery is whether human tissue possesses the regenerative capacity to restore an excised organ.
From a strict physiological standpoint, a completely removed breast cannot regrow. Unlike certain organisms that can regenerate complex limbs or organs, adult human tissues—particularly specialised glandular structures—lack the cellular machinery required to rebuild an entire organ after its total surgical removal.
Instead, the body heals the surgical site through processes such as scar tissue formation and re-epithelialisation rather than complete cellular regeneration.
What a mastectomy actually removes
To understand why natural tissue regeneration does not occur, it is important to examine the surgical scope of a mastectomy.
Depending on the type of procedure and the medical reason for surgery, a mastectomy may involve the removal of:
Glandular architecture: The milk-producing lobules and ducts that form the functional core of the mammary gland.
Adipose tissue: The fatty tissue that contributes to breast volume, projection and contour.
Other breast tissue: The extent of tissue removal varies according to the type of mastectomy and the need to achieve appropriate surgical clearance.
Because specialised breast structures are physically removed, the body does not rebuild a complete mammary gland. Instead, healing occurs through tissue repair and scar formation.
Distinguishing residual tissue from “regrowth”
Patients or observers may notice changes in the chest area after surgery, sometimes leading to misconceptions about tissue regeneration.
Skin- and nipple-sparing procedures
Modern breast surgery may preserve the outer skin envelope or, in selected cases, the nipple-areola complex. Small amounts of breast tissue may remain depending on the surgical technique. Any changes in remaining tissue due to hormonal fluctuations represent residual tissue responding to the body, rather than the regrowth of a completely removed breast.
Adipose accumulation
Weight gain after surgery can increase the amount of subcutaneous fat across the chest wall. However, this is part of general body fat distribution and does not represent the regeneration of a mammary gland.
Modern reconstructive pathways
Because a completely removed breast does not naturally regenerate, modern medicine offers reconstructive options aimed at restoring physical symmetry, contour and body image.
The two main approaches are implant-based reconstruction and autologous, or tissue-based, reconstruction.
Implant-based reconstruction
Implant-based reconstruction uses synthetic medical devices, typically filled with silicone gel or saline, to rebuild the breast mound following a mastectomy.
The two-stage process: This approach may begin with the placement of a temporary tissue expander to gradually create space and stretch the surrounding tissues. A later procedure may then be performed to place a permanent implant.
Recovery profile: Implant-based reconstruction generally involves a shorter initial surgery and recovery period compared with procedures that require tissue to be harvested from another part of the body.
Long-term considerations: Breast implants are not lifetime devices and require ongoing medical monitoring. Some patients may need additional procedures over time because of complications or changes in the implant or surrounding tissue.
Autologous or tissue-based reconstruction
Autologous reconstruction uses the patient’s own living tissue to create a new breast mound. Tissue may be transferred from another part of the body, commonly the lower abdomen, using procedures such as a DIEP flap.
Natural look and feel: Because the reconstruction uses living tissue, it can provide a natural warmth, texture and softness. The tissue may also change with the patient’s body weight over time.
Long-term durability: Once healing is complete, autologous reconstruction can provide a long-lasting result without the need to replace an implant. However, some patients may still require further procedures.
Complex surgery: This option usually involves a longer operation and recovery period. In microsurgical procedures, surgeons may need to reconnect tiny blood vessels to establish blood flow to the transferred tissue.
Direct comparison
When choosing between these two reconstructive pathways, patients and their surgical teams must consider several physical, medical and lifestyle factors.
Surgical burden: Implant surgery is generally less invasive, while flap reconstruction involves surgery at both the chest and the donor site.
Foreign material versus native tissue: Implants involve the use of a medical device, while autologous reconstruction uses the patient’s own tissue.
Recovery: The recovery timelines and rehabilitation requirements differ significantly between the two procedures.
Recovery and physical rehabilitation
Recovering from breast reconstruction requires patience, careful pacing and, in some cases, structured physical rehabilitation.
Because implant-based and autologous tissue-flap procedures involve different surgical techniques, their healing timelines and physical therapy milestones can vary considerably.
Understanding these differences is important for patients considering reconstruction, as the choice involves more than restoring physical appearance. It also requires careful consideration of recovery, long-term monitoring, lifestyle and individual medical needs.
Part 2 will examine recovery timelines, physical therapy milestones and other factors patients should consider when choosing between reconstructive options.
By Robert Ekow Grimmond-Thompson
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