ASAFO

       Even though the Akan societies, had no standing army, the asafo - i.e., a people's militia - was a well established social and political organization based on martial principles. Every able-bodied person belonged to an asafo group; every child automatically belonged to his or her father's company.

Internal sub-divisions within an individual company included the main fighting body, the scouts, reserves, and the minstrel unit whose main job it was to sing patriotic and war songs to boost the morale of the military.

ASAFO MEMBERS

The asafo companies forming the national army were organized into main fighting divisions thus: adonten (vanguard - main body under the adontenhene), twafo (advance guard), kyidom (rearguard - under the kyidomhene), nifa (right wing under the nifahene), benkum (left wing under the benkumhene), akwansra (scouting division), ankobea (home guard under the ankobeahene), and gyaase (the king's bodyguard under the gyaasehene).

ASAFO MEMBERS IN THEIR COLORFUL COMPANY OUTFIT

       Asafo companies were also differentiated by the different colors of headgear and hairstyles worn by members, exclusive drums, horns and other musical instruments, appellations, and emblems. Other units within the main divisions included afonasoafoo (the carriers of spears and shields), sumankwaafoo (the herbalists and medicine men), and the asokwafo (heralds). Asafo companies existed in all the Akan states.

       In Asante, the national asafo was commanded by the Asantehene, but two generals, the kurontire and akwamu, were the military leaders. The Fantse went a step further by incorporating some European customs in their Asafo companies.

       The typical Asafo company in a Fantse township, according to Aggrey (1978), was headed by the Tufohene, the military advisor to the chief of the township. Next in line is the Asafobaatan. Supi was the commanding officer, while the divisional captain within a company was called the Safohene (for the male) or Asafoakyere (for the female). Other ranks in the Asafo were the Asafokomfo (the priest), okyerema - head of the akyeremafo (the drummers), frankaakitani (flag bearer), sekanboni (sword maker), okyeame (spokesperson or linguist), and abrafoo (police officers) and adumfoo (executioners).

Abrafoo - Executioners

Datta (1972) distinguishes between formal and informal offices, the former being characterized by a specific ritual with which the assumption of the office was marked. Among these offices are the tufohene, asafobaatan, supi, safohene, frankaakitani, sekanboni, and okyeame. These office-holders take the appropriate oath on the assumption of office at formally organized ceremonies.

The Akan Asafo scouting system is what Baden Powell is believed to have used as the model for the Scout Movement (Tufuo and Donkor, 1989).

Military titles of honor that were conferred on individuals for their heroism and bravery included osabarima, baafoo, osahene, katakyie, oberempon, osagyefo, and ogyeatuo. The akyem (shield) symbol depicts heroic deeds and bravery. Such heroic deeds were treasured long after the death of the hero as implied in the following maxim: ekyem tete a, eka ne meramu (When a shield wears out, the framework still remains).

Akyem - Shield

The prestigious title of oberempon was conferred on individuals who not only rendered public service, but also on those who excelled in military service. In Asante, chiefs who earned the oberempon title were allowed to carry sika mena (gilded elephant tails). The highly prestigious title of oberempon was seldom conferred for other than valor, but later it became one with which distinguished service to the state might be rewarded. Hence the expression: obarima woye no dom ano, na wonye no fie, meaning a man is made facing the enemy on the battlefield, not in the home - not lording it over women.

POSUBAN - MILITARY POST

This posuban (military post) is to be found in Mankessim, Central Region, Ghana. Other Fantse towns have the posuban.

       Even though the asafo, in the past had as its primary role the defence of the state, it did perform other social services. In the present times, the social services performed by the asafo include serving as a search party when one is lost or when one drowns in a river, public sanitation, maintain public trails, foot paths and bridges. The asafo companies also engage in competitions during festivals.

       Every able-bodied person was expected to serve a military duty when called to action. Each township will have at least one asafo company. One's membership in an asafo company was determined by one's father's lineage (ntoro - among the Asante or egyabosom - among the Fantse).

       While among the Asante, women did not usually go to the war front, the Fantse had women who were war captains. The rare case of Yaa Asantewa of Edweso who led the Asante army against the British in the Yaa Asantewaa War of 1900, is well chronicled.