Juaben
Juaben is a traditional town in the Juaben Municipality in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.
History
Not only had all the royals of Dwabeng been of the Oyoko clan, but the king of Dwabeng is also the Oyokohene or the family head of all Oyoko clan members of the Akan. Juaben is one of the five principal towns of the Asante nation or the Asante Amantuo Num, that originally came together against the then reigning empire of Denkyira. The 1st Dwabenhene is believed to be from Asumegya Asantemanso and the ancestress of this stool is called Aberewa Ampim. It was Aberewa Ampim who came with her own retinue of advisors and elders from Asumegya Asantemanso. At this time it is said that there is no stool whatsoever attached to the Dwabeng state. Whilst coming she settled at Otikurom Dwabeng Mma a term for all of Dwabeng, she stayed in Dwabeng for about four or five years. She had lots of children -many which migrated- and one son called Aketewa was considered the handsome son of all. As a hunter, he discovered the present area Dwabeng and he meet a certain man in the area by the name Boama Kokoo Se Bota - another hunter-, along with his family. It turned out that the two men are both of the same Oyoko clan and Aketewa was welcomed in Boama's home. After his stay, he went back and informed his mother.Among the Asante Amantuo Num, before becoming Asanteman and still subservient to the Denkyira Empire: Dwabeng was responsible for the firewood of Denkyerahene; Nsuta is responsible for the red clay; Mampong was responsible for the cotton fibers for cloth making; Kwamanhene had to send one of His maidservant annually to the Denkyerahene to nurse his nieces and nephew. The messenger of Denkyerahene Ntim Gyakari was sent to collect these various tributes from these five towns. Kwamanhene Obiri Yeboah was an uncle of Osei Tutu, Osei Tutu was sent to Denkyera for training. During the battle of Feyiase in 1701 between the newly formed Asante state, it was the Dwabenhene who caught Ntim Gyakari on the battlefield while the Commander-in-Chief of
this war was Nana Boahene Anantuo, the Mamponhene. But Ntim Gyakari was captured alive by Dwabenhene Nana Adaakwaa Yiadom. After the battle, he was sent to Kumasi, where he was
beheaded. His head was taken by the Asantehene, his legs by the Mamponhene, and his fingers by the Juabenhene. Ntim Gyakari's fingers or Kwadumasa in Twi can still be found today on the Dwabenhene's umbrella.
After Nana Adaakwaa Yiadom's death, his Stool was smoked or blackened by his brother, Osei Hwidie, during the reign of Nana Opoku Ware. Nana Osei Hwidie, wanting to expand his boundaries sort out by Abuasohene Ntiamoah Amankuo to kill him and gain his control of said lands. Nana Osei took possession of his towns, drums, villages. This was only the beginning of his expansion of Dwabeng rulership. At a later date, Nana Dwabenhene questioned Boama Kokoo about whether there were any other people or Chiefs who shared a common boundary with him. Boama Kokoo told him that there is one chief, by name Ofinam, the Nkuokromhene, his lands too were taken after his death. So was the lands of the Adumanhene, to which was the ancestor of Nsutahene and the lands of the Brebemo, Nsusohene; the Kyekewerehene; Bomfahene Mmonh Diawuo and of Hemanhene Owusu Biremprong, whilst driving him away from Sekyere.
Osei Kwame Panyin, to fought with Basahene Kwabena Sabre at Basahene. The Basahene was defeated and sent to Dwabeng, carrying the truthful stone. The cause of the war was some valuable gold trinkets in the possession of the Basahene, which were coveted by the Asante. There is a certain Fetish, by name Denteh, now at Dwaben, which was captured from Krachi as a result of this war. It is said that this Fetish predicted that the Krachi Chief could not fight with the powerful Chief Akraase after the war the Fetish announced that he had seen that Juabenhene was a powerful Chief; whenever he went to the war he would follow him. It is said there is a horn attached to the Stool which was captured by Akraase. It is blown when Juabenhene is taking the field for war, in the Abeng language It is said that only Nana Juabenhene has this horn, and no other chief in Asante. Nana Akraase was succeeded on the Stool by Nana Akuamoah Panyin, his brother, during the reign of Bonsu Panyin.