Odomase Origins:

Odumase was founded [circa 1701] by Awuna Panyin [AwuaPanyin] a nephew of the Bantamahene- Bantama is near Kumasi- who had amassed great wealth in Gyaman and who, when he was due to succeed to the Bantama stool,  left his town Awuna [Awua] in Gyaman with his people and thousands of slaves. Reaching Sunyani, he found that it was impractical to take them all to Bantama and left them behind in the care of his nephew Kwasi Bosomtwe, and under whom they built the town of Odumase. After the 1730 war, the whole area between Odumase and Bantama came under the overlordship of the Bantamahene, in recognition of the help Bantama had given to the Asantehene  »»»»more   

A Crocodile Swallowing A Mudfish (extracted from photo of Nana Korang VI and retinue, below)   Pitire kɛseɛ a ɔda bunu mu ɔmemene adeɛ a ɔmemene ma ne wura dɛnkyɛm.     If the mudfish in the stream grows fat, it does so to the advantage of the crocodile (to whom it may fall a victim at any time) Ref: A.A.Y Kyerematen

 

  Reports of Early European Visitors

....The end of this day's march brought us to the village of Tetcheri [Tekyire].

On the 5th we only marched four hours, halting at the large village of Tanno-su [Tanoso],.........

After seven hours' marching we arrived at the town of Odomasi, a place apparently of some importance. The name signifies "under the Odom", which latter, I was informed by a native of the place, is a tree of somewhat small size characterized by a poisonous bark, the properties of which are so deadly as to occasion the death of any rats that may happen to gnaw it. The bark does not appear to be used medicinally, but it furnishes a poison that is made use of as an ordeal in some native trials. »»»»more

  Yaa Asantewaa War Hero

Awua Domasehene

Nana Kwabena Kyere

Commander-in-Chief

Asanteman Army,

Yaa Asantewaa War

Spies brought information to the effect that the remaining rebel leaders had fled to the north-west, that Queen Ashantuah [Nana Yaa Asantewaa] had deposed Kofi Kofia from the chief captainship of the army, and had made Kobina Cherri [Awua Domasehene Nana Kwabena Kyere], a powerful chief of Odumassi, her chief war captain.....

Later on, more definite news reached Kumasi that the rebel leaders were all living in a town called Bechim [Bechem].....  »»»»more

   Odomase, Bantama and the Kwatwoma

The name Kwatwoma was derived from the Red Clay which we used to besmear our bodies as a symbol in time of war. Therefore as a result of this, the Kwatwoma were named after the Red Clay "Ntwoma".

As a result of frequent wars with the Akwamus in Akwapim, we the Kwatwomas had to migrate under the leadership of the great chief Nana Boahene Korkor to find solace in a large area of forest in Ashanti where he met two men hunting for elephants. He therefore settled at Suntresu near Bantama in Kumasi.

While we were staying at Suntresu, we hired there with Nana Dormahene, of course, with equal status as paramount chiefs. »»»»more

1900: British Destroy Odomase

......On the 11th [November 1900] the column marched to Odumassi, where I left a garrison of 300 men under the command of Major Browne . This town was the largest we had met with in this country, the king's palace being quite a handsome building........

During our halt in the town several Krepe traders, who were fugitives from the Ashantis, came in and begged for the protection of the British flag. They were rubber traders, Odumassi being the great rubber emporium of the north-west, and they found themselves, at the beginning of the war [Yaa Asantewaa War], prisoners of Kobina Cherri [Domasehene Nana Kwabena Kyere]... »»»»more

Afua Moku, aka Afua Fofie: Common Ancestor of Odomase, Bantama Chiefs

From R.S. Rattray (1927):

Many Ashanti mothers do not feed their infants for the first two or three days after birth, but call in a wet nurse (obagyegyefoɔ), lit.  'one who receives the infant'. In the case of a child of the Oyoko or Royal clan, from  which were drawn the Ashanti kings, this was always done. The woman so chosen was compelled to send away her own child and to nurse the royal baby. Such a foster-mother found great honour; she was fed on the best food  and richly dressed; she might be given 'a stool' and subjects, and so become the founder of a new house. Her own child, which she had been compelled to leave with another woman to suckle, might  also be made a chief. Many of the Coomassie [Kumasi] chiefs owe their position to this cause in the olden times. Afua Fofie [aka Afua Moku, a Dwaben woman], an ancestress of the present chief of Bantama, the Ashanti war lord, suckled the famous Ashanti king, Osae Tutu [Osei Tutu]. Afua Fofie was mother of Amankwatia who was created the Chief of Bantama.