During the reign of Bondze Enyinman (1495 – 1560) the Effutu settlement was joined by non-Guan and non-Akan groups whose culture was closer to Islamic traditions but inherited through the patrilineal line. They were made to settle eastwards to Otuano and became the Eyipey people. The name Eyipey is said to be the corrupted form of their original point of migration being Eyigbey. They lent immense support to the Otuano family to protect and defend the settlement. When King Bonzie Essiedu formed the second asafo company, the need arose for a leader to act as an arbiter between the two and also the liaison officer between the king and the two asafo companies. This he accomplished with the creation of the Tufuhen stool in 1650 to the Eyipey family in recognition for the bravery of Apraku for successfully leading a contingent of Effutu warriors through the Awutu Beraku forest back to Simpa. To establish the second asafo company, King Bondzie Esiedu requested the eldest sons of the Otuano house to form the core leadership to start the new asafo company and conjoined the Eyipey family.
This move saw the creation of a second house, Piatɔ (to wit inner chamber) to the Otuano house. In the same vein, the Eyipeywo (Eyipey people) were divided into two for the purposes of having both the Tuafo and Dentsefo men. It must be specially mentioned that Piatɔ not only became the root of the Dentsefo asafo company but also played a significant role in the traditional administration of Simpa. In terms of the asafo, the prama provided three strategic whip positions; the Supi of Petufo Enyimpa (reference made to Supi Takyi), Supi of Ntsirmbafo Enyimpa(refernce made to Ayensu Ghartey) and Safohen of Petufo Assam (reference made to Safohen Apete) were created for the asafo. Next, they had not only conquered villages they run over during the Katamanso war but also brought home the Obenta and mpintsin royal drums which they performed for the Kings of Simpa. The Otuano had only the Supi of Akomfor Enyimpa, reference made to Supi Budu and Supi of Kyeremfo Enyimpa which is refered to Supi Kojo Gyan whips in the Tuafo asafo company. King Ayirebi Gyarteh created the Gyankumah stool for the prama to assist in the administration of Simpa which was fast growing. Years later, the stool was elevated to the Adonten division by Nana Ayirebi Acquah III in his false Elector’s List published in the Gold Coast Government Gazette No.22 of 1931 dated March 28th 1931.
A household in Winneba is the male line of siblings and sons called the prama: male houses. The women live separately. In Winneba, each prama has a fetish from which it derives its name. Anyone claiming to be an Effutu native must hail from one of the original paternal houses or prama. Winneba has always been considered a city state. Today it has its rural communities most of them established as a result of farming.
In discussing Simpa, one very important paternal house comes up for mention; the Dawur prama (the former town crier who uses the gong). For Simpa, it is said that the deity specifically requested the services of this prama to be institutionalised as its town crier. Members of this prama are the Cole (Coleman) and Akwandoh paternal lines. They established points around town and from the entrance to the Palace where they start beating the gong after which they would announce the King’s message to the public. The group, usually not more than four men would then move to the next point and then on till the entire town was covered. On completion of the announcements they came to the king for their appreciation money known as ayekoo nsa.
This duty became difficult to keep as the town grew and became larger and with the advent of the radio and other means of communicating with the people. It is, however, considered as one of the most effective means of ensuring that the people heard the king.
Dawur Prama has additional responsibilities to the state. During Aboakyer they prepared a potion from herbal mix and sprinkled the water from a wooden carved bowl onto the asafomen as they left town to the hunting grounds. Then on the following day, Sunday afternoon, during the sacrifice, they slaughter the animal and do the cooking after the Osow (priest) of Otuano has performed the initial libation to the deity. In principle they are the ones that slaughter the deity’s sacrificial animal and so the same practice goes for the animal used for Akomase festival.
These three functions of the Dawur prama that makes it an important institutional house for Simpa and an integral part of the paramountcy.
In a patriarchal society such as the Effutu State, the notable traditional homes are invariably those of the male lineages, known locally as prama. One departure from this norm is Sakooso, a female house located in Penkye, next to the Dawur Prama and within some 100 meters away from Otuano. This is the home of the female siblings of the first leaders of the original settlers; Otuano house. Sakooso is a small homestead but became surrounded closely by other houses for defensive purposes, with a high population density.
Sakooso, or whatever it precursor was known, is a female house. It never became prominent in Simpa cultural affairs until sometime in the seventeenth century when Bondze-Asiedu, the most famous son of Sakooso was enthroned the eighth priest-king of the Effutu state. Sakooso was the maternal home of King Bondze Asiedu, and certainly, the monarchs before and after Bondze Asiedu had their respective family homes outside Sakooso, however Sakooso has over the years been accorded that honour. Acculturation of Akan culture introduced the Ebusua (clan) concept into Simpa and today, the descendants of Bondze-Asiedu belong to the branch of the Nsona Ebusua that is named after him. Bondze Asiedu reigned from 1600 to 1666 and established a second Asafo company (Dentsi, Number Two) and created the position of Tufuhen.
The creation of Dentsi Asafo company was also to lead to the emergence of another famous personality in Sakooso –Akwesi Nyaa a fetish priest who is up to this day worshiped as a deity by the Dentsi company. Across the country, a prized possession of the Asafo institution (traditional militia) is the system of deities. In Simpa, deities are to Asafo companies what the Pope is to Catholicism. Bondzie Asiedu decided to make his maternal home, Sakooso, custodians of the first deity of the Dentsi Asafo company. The first priest of the deity was Akwesi Nyaa. With time, Akwesi Nyaa became a powerful fetish priest whose exploits compared to those of his contemporary, Okomfo Anokye of the Ashantis. He was consulted by people from far and near for assistance on various matters and became so renowned in the art of divination that up to this day, some three hundred years after his death, the Dentsi group perform rituals on his shrine in Sakooso every year as part of their preparation for the Aboakyer festival.
The name Sakooso (literally, the white enclave), was said to have been acquired in the eighteenth century at the peak of the colonial mercantile system when Winneba became one of the dozen or so surf ports that dotted the littoral of the Gold Coast. The location of Sakooso, less than 50 metres from the shoreline and surrounded by bonded warehouses, made it a major thoroughfare linking the port to the rest of the settlement. The general view was that, with time, goods such as cement and other powdery stuff spilled onto the unfenced compound as head porters plied their trade. Sakooso, thus, derived its name from the trail of whitish stuff left behind by head porters engaged in the colonial import-export trade. So, whereas the dwelling predates the colonial mercantile system, the name Sakooso gained currency during the peak of the colonial import-export trade. More importantly, whereas the names of the leading prama in the Effutu state were either associated with deities (e.g. Otuano, Akramano, Sakagyaano, Akyeampongano) or their role in the Asafo set up (e.g. Tuafo Police Station), or the name of the first patriarch (e.g. Eyi pramaso, Ekuma pramaso) the name Sakooso was a by-product of the colonial mercantile system.
Socially, Sakooso has undergone two major metamorphoses over the years. The first was its conversion from a predominantly Dentsi stronghold to a Tuafo enclave mainly through marriages. Besides the Akwesi Nyaa shrine, Sakooso was also the custodian of another prized Asafo paraphernalia which underlined its Dentsi beginnings. The gourds used by the women’s group of the Dentsi (adzewa) were housed in Sakooso. Until the 1970s, the group would bring drinks to Sakooso to ask permission to collect the gourds for performance. Towards the end of the 1970s, they were relocated to the newly constructed home of Obaapanyin Araba Nkankrama, a leading member of the group who hailed from Sakooso. Over the years, particularly in the wake of the heightening chieftaincy row, the Densti members have moved out of Sakooso leaving their Tuafo cousins who now dominate the house. The second transformation has to do with the gender composition of the occupants.
In the typical prama of the Effutus, only male occupants are found, as the eldest sons normally take over from the fathers. From the account so far, the male children from Sakooso moved out leaving a predominantly female homestead. Nevertheless, it retains its status as the headquarters of the Bondze Asiedu Nsona Royal clan where annual family gatherings and other important meetings are held. Other kindred homes in Winneba whose occupants trace their roots to Sakooso include Buw-nsi, Otwekwenyibi-anyinase and Maame Sarah-yie. (fie in Akan) In modern times, the descendants of Sakooso have, with the exception of an insignificant few, been unashamed stalwarts and supporters of the cause of the male house, Otuano in the Effutu chieftaincy feud, offering material and moral support in diverse ways.
In late 1997, in recognition of their dedication and contribution to the advancement of the Otuano Stool, the Effutu Paramountcy created a stool (sub-chief) at Sakooso. Its first occupant, Naase Aprekuwa Kese II, was subsequently made the Sanaahene of the Effutu Traditional area. Naase Aprekuwa Kese II was named after Naase Aprekuwa Kese, the only female name of significance in the annals of Sakooso who passed away some two centuries ago. Naase Aprekuwa Kese II is known in private life as Mrs. Victoria Amoo; a beautician, caterer and a businesswoman. In modern times, some eminent sons of Sakooso worth mentioning in the history of Sakooso are Isaac Baiden-Amissah, Sam Odonsu, and Benjamin Kwesi Oppong, Esq. Baiden-Amissah made his name as a brilliant young man working in the colonial civil service. Known locally as Kweku Damboley, his traditional name, Baiden-Amissah rose through the ranks of the colonial judicial service, a fearless advocate of human rights and a budding politician.
He, along with Dowuonna Hammond (who later became the first elected Member of Parliament of Effutu), were the founding members of the Winneba branch of the Convention People Party (CPP) which spearheaded Ghana’s independence struggle. He later parted company with the CPP and contested the 1958 elections as an independent candidate. For his perceived opposition to the CPP, he spent time in detention without trial. He made his fortune as a para-legal brain, a merchant and an importer. He rebuilt Maame Sarah-fie, one of the allied houses of Sakooso; he joined his ancestors in December 1977. Sam Odonsu, became Supi (commander) of the Petu Division of the Dentsi Asafo Company from 1968 to 1987 when he passed on to eternity. Benjamin Oppong was called to the Ghana bar in 1968 and is regarded by many as the first Effutu in living memory to qualify as a lawyer. From 1993 to 2005, he was the first Deputy Commissioner of Ghana’s newly created Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice. He passed away in February 2009.
This is the two oldest of all the rural communities of Simpa. Historical records show that the elders who established Nsuekyir migrated from Anokyi in the Central Region of Ghana and initially settled at a place called Abrah. The group was led by Maame Oduma, who happened to be the mother of Nana Tawiah II, Akwei and Nana Ansaful.
At Winneba they settled close to the sea but had to relocate beyond the Ayensu River close to its estuary in order to have access to fresh water. They are, however, separated from the sea by the Oyibi Lagoon. Hence the name, Nsuekyir, meaning beyond the river. The original name, Nsuekyir Abrah Okotopon is lost to history. They had come from a Fante tradition, with succession in the female line; matrilineal and therefore succession to the Royal Anona Stool brought in by Maame Oduma and her people is matrilineal. The status of Nsuekyir stool as the Kyidom (Rear guard) division was created in the early 1930s. The main occupation of the people is farming. The main crops cultivated are vegetables, groundnuts and maize. It is a taboo for anyone to go fishing on Wednesdays and Fridays and to farm on Mondays and Wednesdays. Those who violate these are made to slaughter a goat with a fine to appease the gods. Libation is also poured on behalf of trespassers to reverse any form of calamities that is to befall them.
On Wednesdays, women are not allowed to cross the Oyibi lagoon. The people join the Paramountcy in the celebration of the annual Aboakyer festival but they propitiate their own stool during the Akomase festival in August. Naase Tawiah Ababio is the current occupant of the Kyidom stool of Nsuekyir.
She is known in private life as Ms Hannah Dadzie. She has a business woman transacting business across the west coast of Africa.
It is on record that Gyhadze was settled before Nsuekyir, but the two re the oldest of the Simpa settlements to be founded outside the mainland Simpa. Oral records show that Opanyin Kwei from Awutu Bereku founded Kweikrom but because he married from Assin they adopted the Akan tradition from the Gomoa people. He led his younger siblings; Opanyin Kwesi Heitey Abokuade, from Obokoade meaning “you have this much” and his four brothers to migrate from Awutu Beraku into Simpa territory. Here Abokuade pitched camp close to the rocks further down the Egya Eduba hills and cultivated the low-lying areas to the west of the Ayensu River just before its estuary and extending to his camp. Abokuade was also a fetish priest who treated the people of Simpa of various ailments. Oral records say that in a bad weather while burning his field, he burnt the only krobo tree (ornamental plant used for body decoration during special ceremonies).
This was the only one in the area and was greatly used by the entire Simpa populace. He was fined to pay £8:8sh which he could not pay. Abokuade was saved by the Tuafo asafo men who paid for him. Out of this trouble he abandoned his camp and relocated to the area close to the Gyaha pond where he founded Gyahadze in its present location. Hence it is recorded that Gyahadze was populated by Tuafo. It is believed that some of the Tuafo men followed him to establish at the present gyahadze location. Opanyin Kwesi Heitey Abokuade came along with his fetish, Kum, from which he obtained spiritual powers for his herbal treatment practice. When he founded Gyahadze, the Royal house became the Kumano family comprising his sons and their descendants as the royal house of Gyahadze.
Hailing from Awutu with a Guan origin, succession to the stool is patrilineal. Currently, the stool is occupied by Nana Heitey III on whose installation the stool was elevated to the Gyase (home guard) division of the Effutu state in 1998. Many spiritualists have practiced at Gyahadze. It is also said that a nephew of Abokuade, in the days of no vehicles and so no roads, Akwanbo festival (path clearing) was used to provide a safe passage way for movement of persons between communities.
Oral records say that during one such exercise, Opanyin Kojo Mensah came across a substance much like a small rock. He threw it away but it re-emerged along the path. It is said that though he discarded it again, this substance eventually surfaced in his room glittering in the night. Further probe into it showed that it was fetish but he gave it to Opanyin Kobena Nyarko who used it to establish the Asaaseano shrine. To date this shrine continues to serve the spiritual and herbal treatment needs of the people of Simpa and its environs. The spirituality of Gyahadze makes it a taboo to rear pigs, dogs and goats in the village. Pounding of fufu after 6.00pm is prohibited. Farming on Mondays as well as fishing on Tuesdays is not allowed. Women in their menstrual periods are prohibited from going to the Gyaha pond or any other water body around the village. The people of Gyahadze celebrate the Akomase festival where they hunt for a live grasscutter to propitiate the Kumano stool.
Gyahadze is a fetish and farming community. Popular deities include the Kumano shrine and Asaase ano. Farming activities include the cultivation of maize, vegetables, cassava and ground nuts being the chief crop. In the last century, the village has been noted to provide immense assistance during the preparation of chiefs to be installed on the Otuano Paramount stool at Simpa.
The ancestral origins of the people of Gyangyanadze are Nana Ahum Kakra and Payin and their sister, Saakowa who migrated from Enyan Abaasa to Simpa where they were directed by the Omanhen (Paramount Chief) of Simpa to join their people at Nsuekyir; people of the Fante extraction. Following discontent with the association at Nsuekyir, they moved out to establish a new community further eastwards at Potodo(deep mud). Opanyin Okoofi Amponsah, an Agona clansman from Ekumfi Andansi married Saakowa and begat Ackom. Oral records indicate that following the capture of both Kofi Amponsah and Ackom by the Ashantis, it was Ackom who managed to escape but his father was beheaded. Back home he did not join his people but started his herbal and spiritual work to the outskirts of Simpa under a big tree.
His clients who stayed longer also put up similar huts to pass the time while under treatment. It is said that whenever the tree under which he practiced his vocation was pruned, within a short time it grew back to its original state. This made the people remark that ‘dua yi ye dua gyangyan’ (this is “this is a useless tree”). The treatment was given under the “ogyangyan” tree (gyangyan-adze). Those who wanted to seek medication from Akom always made reference to this tree. His growing popularity caused his people at Pɔtɔdɔ to join him making the new settlement to grow larger; it was always identified by the Ogayangyan tree as Gyangyanadze.
Family members of Okoofi Amponsah came back to litigate with the people of Ackom in an attempt to take control of the new settlement. Their failure led them in anger to move out of Simpa to settle at Fawomanye (meaning take your land) on the other side of Kwanyarko along the Ayensu River. The ancestors of the people of Gyangyanadze were Fante, belonging to the Aboradze clan of Enyan Abaasa and therefore succession to the stool at Gyangyanadze is matrilineal. The Gyangyanadze stool was elevated to the Krontir division of the Effutu State in 2000 with the investiture of the last chief, Nana Ekwam II. He died in 2012 and the stool as at present is vacant.
The main taboos are that people are prohibited from going to farm on Mondays and Wednesdays. There is also the menstruation taboo where women in their monthly period are prohibited from going into the palace or to the stream to fetch water.
Because of the spiritual treatment provided by Opanyin Ackom, it was a taboo to rear pigs in the settlement. The village joins the Paramountcy in celebrating the annual Aboakyer festival. The stool of the Royal Aboradze clan is propitiated just after the Effutu Akomase in September annually.
Ateitu was settled around the reign of Nana Tawiah Ababio I of Essuekyir in the late 1800. Oral records say that a hunter, Opanyin Kweku Abbam from Essuekyir who has been hunting in the thickets below the hills of Egya Eduba decided to stay instead of his daily trip to Essuekyir and back to continue his hunting. He first settled with his wife Obaapanyin Aba Awurogya and later invited his siblings; Kojo Doughan and Kwame Dadze and their families to join him. Opanyin Kweku Abbam had nine children (four being female) with his first wife, Obaapanyin Aba Awurogya and eight children from his second marriage with Maame Adjoa Kum.
This large family enabled him to grow the settlement he had started. The name Ateitu is known to have been derived from the practice by the asafo in collecting herbs on Friday for their final preparation towards the Aboakyer hunt annually. The grove is referred to ate otu; ate meaning egya in Akan (father), implying Otu’s grove. Other narrations tell of the founder, a hunter who went to hunt with the son and both saw a game which they wanted to shoot. While the father said he had a good sight of it the son said to his father, dad if you say so then just shoot in Efutu as ate onkaa tum! But this story has been discounted as the source of the name Ateitu in the records.
The settlement maintained strong links with their homeland Nsuekyir through the performance of the ‘Akwanbo’ festival (literally path clearing) and fishing rites in the Oyibi Lagoon. These rites were performed jointly with the people of Atekyedo. By custom, when Opanyin Abbam died, Opanyin Kweku Nnekyi was elected head of the new settlement. On one such occasion, when the elders of Ateitu and their people got to Nsuekyir, the people from Atekyedo were not yet in. They were therefore asked to go back. It was learnt that soon after they had left, the Atekyedo people arrived and the rites were performed with them only. Opanyin Nnekyi went to enquire why they were not made to participate but was told in a proverbial language that “sɛ w’ano war a mmfa nndzidzi wɔ nsu afa” implying Ateitu was coming from the other side of the river as against the two communities; Nsuekyir and Atekyedo, hence they should not use their long mouth to eat from the other side of the river.
Appreciating what this was meant to mean, Opanyin Nnekyi and his elders created annual rites of their own at their settlement. Opanyin Nnekyi was succeeded by Opanyin KwaoTeiku and after him came Opanyin Kojo Abbam who swore the oath of allegiance to King Ghartey V, then Paramount Chief of Winneba as the first substantive Odefe of Ateitu. Because it was a male who founded this settlement, they adopted the patrilineal system of succession of Simpa at Ateitu leaving behind the matrilineal system of succession at Nsuekyir.A man by name Opanyin Odwenyin came from Amisah ano to settle at Simpa. He lived with Opanyin Annobil Kuma at Kofi ano and married Aba Afriba. Opanyin Odwenyin later went to stay with his father-in-law, Nana Abbam at Ateitu around 1901. He was given a place to cultivate and this area grew into another village now called Ekrofor (new town) just by Ateitu. Opanyin Odwenyin was blessed with four children. Those who later joined this family included a brother of Aba Afriba and Opanyin Kwesi Eguase who also married Nkomade and begat three children.
These families facilitated the growth of Ekrofor but customarily both communities; Ateitu and Ekrofor, performed rites together for several years. The present occupant of the stool is Neenyi Obosu II known in private life as William Doughan. He is the current chairman of the local branch of the GPRTU and a driver by profession.
Sankor, lies to the east of mainland Simpa. The ancestral origins of the people of Sankor are from Dwomo Addo and his brothers, Ndawurah Jakpa and the Tetteh brothers who hailed from the female line of the original settlers of Simpa who camped at Sakoodo close to Otuano. Historical records show that Neenyi Kojo Tetteh, the first of the chiefs to be officially gazetted by the government was in 1913 implying that from the time of settlement to that stage of its development, Sankor was settled close to the time of Ateitu in the late 1800’s. It is known that the prominence of Sankor in Simpa history was based on the practice of Opayin Kojo Tetteh Kyikyibi as a native doctor. He put up a single silo which people seeking treatment there referred to as ‘ɔsae kor’ (one silo). Out of this the emerging community got its name, Sankor. On 23rd July 1961, following the Ayensu floods, some of the relations from Old Tuansa who were farming there were evacuated and settled at Sankor. The people of Sankor are therefore both farmers and fishermen.
Succession to the Sankor stool is patrilineal. Those on the lineage who have occupied the stool are from the Tetteh, Ehun and Addo paternal house at Sankor. There is a special attraction, an exciting feature at Sankor, which is of significance to tourism; the opening and closure of the estuary of River Ayensu. By 5.00pm, the high tides gradually wash away the sand bar that blocks the river from entering the sea.
In a gradual manner, it opens the river into the sea. This is reversed during low tides that close the entrance of the river into the sea with a bar of sand. It is exciting to watch the opening in the evening. Paramount chiefs were bathed in the river and placed on a special stone at this estuary in readiness for outdooring. The stool is currently occupied by Neenyi Tetteh III known in private life as Isaac Newton Tetteh. A former store keeper and driver. He has investments in both inland and the open sea fishing. He was enstooled on 7th November, 1998.
Tuansa No.2 or New Tuansa was settled by Opanyin Kojo Tetteh, his children and siblings. This settlement was to create a new home from evacuees from the old Tuansa village following the 1961 Ayensu floods. It is a small village on the hill along the Winneba – Accra highway. They do farming along the Ayensu River as their main occupation.
Probably one of the early settlements outside main land Simpa but it’s fast growth and expansion made it to fuse with the main land Simpa. Though an independent village, many consider it as a suburb. The founder first settled at Pomakoko (a rocky terrain) in the early part of the C19th. Due to the disturbances from wild animals from the nearby thickets, he descended and drew closer to the outskirts of Simpa where the present village started. Opanyin Kojo Baidoo was a warrior and took part in the wars against the Ashanti invasion. As his settlement expanded, King Eguase honoured him by making him the Odzikro of the settlement
The village was named after the founder but in its corrupted form; Kojo Beedu. Following this he invited his siblings and their children to join him in establishing the village. He established a very large family of his own having married four women with whom he had ten children and many grandchildren. The environs of Kojo Beedu is very rocky.
This provides the people with loose chippings which is dug and cracked by the women for the construction industry. Some are also farmers cultivating vegetables and corn during the major raining season. The village also has a number of artisans and middle-class people resident there. Opanyin Kojo Baidoo was succeeded by Kwesi Eduful as Neenyi Baidoo from 1912 to 1959. The stool is presently occupied by Neenyi Beedu III after the demise of Neenyi Beedu II in 2013. Neenyi Beedu III is a retired Director of Education. His last post was Sefwi Wiawso in August 2001.
He had briefly served Winneba as Director from 1990 to 1997. he schooled at the A.M.E. Zion school in Winneba, then to the Kaneshie Sec Tech and the Accra Polytechnic. He left the KNUST in 1967 and studied at Hudderfield University in Brittain from 1979—1980 and for an the ACCIM degree at the Madras University, India in 1984.
There are a few villages lying on the outskirts of Simpa whose growth and development has not been associated with any special traditional event in Simpa. Ansafor on the Simpa-Swedru road was founded by Opanyin Sanful and his children. They migrated from Nsuekyir to establish this settlement.
Atekyedo was established by Kwa Amponsah also from Nsuekyir who married from Gyahadze. The settlement is within the flood plains of the Ayensu River; a condition that has greatly influenced the growth and development of the village. The patriarchal family is the Amponsah family.
Osubonpanyin is said to have been settled by people whose origins are traced from the Volta Region of Ghana. They first settled with the people of Buwekyir in Simpa. They were attracted to their present site by the vast growth of date palm with which they made hand woven hats from its fronds. They were master craftsmen and made a lot of income from this business. Popular names from origins within the royal family are Kwaako, Pekiti, Paako, Teiko and Tagoe.
There are a cluster of villages lying further westwards along the Simpa-Agona Swedru road which include Kwenua & Bombirto. These are farming settlements which date as far back as the settlement of Simpa. Today it is this region of Simpa that produces the bulk of sugar cane for the production of local gin; Apeteshi. Most of the people were not resident leading to an invasion by the expanding Gomoa people. This has embroiled this area in decades of land litigation. Altogether, the area is referred to as New Winneba.
The Apow Odefe (Apofohen) is the chief for the fishing community of Simpa, thought to have been created during the reign of Bondze Esiedu as a divisional stool for the Obir Kuma prama. It was Obir Kuma who left the ancestral house; next door to Otuano, to establish the new prama now referred to as Prama Tsentsenso (there are two houses but the larger earned this title). Their ancestors trace their descent from the Bondze (anglicised Bonney) gate of Otuano. The main function of the Apow Odefe is to manage the fishing community along the shores of Simpa. It involves conflict management emanating from misunderstandings between local fishermen or between them and migratory fishermen on temporary residence at Simpa, collection of fish landing taxes and the propitiation of the deities concerned with fishing.
The Apow Odefe has a council composed of 12 elders (but now 16) half selected from each asafo company. These are generally referred to as Apow Nimpa (fishermen’s elders). The taxes vary in quantum depending on volume of fish landings; it could be a number of fish collected from each canoe at landing to a crate of fish. In general, some of this goes to the community. The main fish landing beaches are 1) Akosua village, 2) Penkye, 3) Eyipey, 4) Aboadze and 5) Woarab?ba village. Two special ceremonies are performed under the aegis of the Council of the Apow Odefe regards maintaining the fishing business of the Simpa people. Between July and August, a special propitiatory rite is performed known as wró (to appease all the gods to bless the coming major fishing season with good catch). The next is the sacrifice to the deity, Bomo Ewusi (the god of the sea).
Finally, is the sacrifice to the deity of the Obir Kuma prama (Prama Tsentsenso); it was hitherto known as Ewur (local name of the tortoise), hence this same prama was sometimes referred to as Ewur prama after its deity. The animal used annually is the tortoise for this sacrifice. These rites are financed by the Apow Odefe from accrued funds to his Council but during periods of low fish landings, levies are applied.
became prominent during the reign of Acquah II. However, it is said that the Kweemu prama was established by Obor Kwesi Atta whose responsibility was to alert the Otuano house of anything strange to the community from their vantage location. The stool was given full recognition during the reign of King Henry Acquah (Kwesi Eguase). The popular Chief Annobil succeeded his father in 1877. He became a close confidant of king Ghartey IV. In 1907 when Acquah II was destooled, Chief Annobil, the Twafohen, was made the Acting Oma Odefe. He was reputed to have been a rigid constitutionalist. When Acquah II was re-instated 1914 and later died in 1916, Chief Annobil again assumed office as Acting Oma Odefe. The prama has a special mpintsin royal drums which they perform for the Kings of Simpa.
This stool was created before the death of King Henry Acquah I (1858-1870) is now the Benkum stool of the Effutu Traditional Area. This stool is currently vacant.
a whip officer has become the Nifa stool of the Effutu Traditional Area.
See under Sakoodo
The stool was created 1998. The first to occupy this stool, Neenyi Afona I is known in private life as Frank Enninful. He is a retired officer of the special unit at the seat of government responsible for civil maintenance works.
It is believed that the Richardson family migrated from Dwemba to Winneba around 1800. They were a merchant family and travelled across this region trading and making benevolent support to the needy. They traded in cocoa, natural rubber latex and palm kernel for shipment through Winneba. Oral records show that Kow Esibuah rose to prominence in 1830 as a kind-hearted person who always had time to visit those he showed benevolence. He was asked to settle at the present Abasraba (b?sra wommba – to visit ones children), a gesture that was to entice him to further his kindness to the poor people of Simpa. The colonial government gave him the opportunity to serve on the jury at the court and was very helpful to the local authority which made his status to be elevated to that of the chief of Abasraba. The stool is currently occupied by Neenyi Esibuah III known in private life as Mr. Ben Richardson. He is a retired accountant of the Treasury Department.
Following the need to have an officer of stool occupant status to serve the Paramountcy as a liaison/protocol or public relations capacity, Neenyi Ghartey VII created this stool in 2005. This office ensures that all strangers, VIP guests and arrangements for travels and other ceremonial arrangements both in and out of Simpa are effectively managed or coordinated. The first occupant is Neenyi Afedzie of Kumano prama and residing at Ekuano. Neenyi Afedzie is a person with several trades; retired driver and member of the executive board of the GPRTU local branch, a past kente weaver, a fisherman and a contractor.
The King always spoke through a linguist. In Winneba, the position of linguist was not arbitrary but institutionalised by vesting it as a traditional role of two houses along asafo lines. The King had two linguists; one from each asafo company with the Tuafo presented by Kwei Kum prama and the Dentsewo by a second gate at Piat. During very important ceremonies both linguists are used but, in most cases, it was enough for one to be present. Therefore, baring situations under conflict times, a state linguist must come from one of these houses.
A recent creation and though intended for Mrs. Mercy Ghansah, she did not live to be honoured by the Effutu State. Mrs. Mercy Ghansah saw the need to educate the unfortunate young women who either dropped out of school or coulkd not have good passes to further their education. She established a vocational school to train these young ladies to acquire vocations like dress making and catering. This honour, thought of as a post humus went to the daughter, Mrs. Patricia Owusu. At Kojo Beedu where she resides she has continued the contributions the mother started to Effutu society.