Mankessim is a town in the Central Region of

Ghana Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...

West Africa West Africa, also known as Western Africa, is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations geoscheme for Africa#Western Africa, United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Gha ...

. It is approximately 75 km west of

Accra Accra (; or ''Gaga''; ; Ewe: Gɛ; ) is the capital and largest city of Ghana, located on the southern coast at the Gulf of Guinea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2021 census, the Accra Metropolitan District, , had a population of ...

, on the main road to

Sekondi-Takoradi Sekondi-Takoradi ( ) is a city in Ghana comprising the Twin cities (geographical proximity), twin cities of Sekondi and Takoradi. It is the capital of Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly, Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan District and the Weste ...

. It is the traditional headquarters of the Fante ethnic group of Ghana. Mankessim's history is linked to three famed warriors: Obrumankoma, Odapagyan and Oson, who helped the Fante people migrate from

Techiman Techiman (Akan language, Akan: ''Takyiman'') is a city and the capital of the Techiman Municipal District, Techiman Metropolitan District and the Bono East Region of Ghana. The city is located about from Sunyani and about away from Kumasi. I ...

in the current

Bono Region The Bono region is one of the 16 administrative regions of Ghana. It is as a result of the remainder of Brong-Ahafo region when Bono East region and Ahafo Region, Ahafo region were created. Sunyani, also known as the green city of Ghana, is the r ...

to Adoagyir in the Central Region. The town is located at an elevation of 75 meters above sea level and its population according to the 2010 Census was 38,313. Mankessim is the traditional paramountcy for all Fante-speaking people and was the location of the sacred Nananom Pow (sacred grove) which is also near Obidan. It has a large market that attracts traders from Ghana and beyond. Just as in other prominent Fante towns, Mankessim has Asafo companies, traditional military groups which no longer fight wars but are acknowledged for their role in the history and development of the town.

History

In many oral traditions of the

Fante people The modern Mfantsefo or Fante ("Fanti" is an older spelling) confederacy is a combination of Akan people and aboriginal Guan people. The Fante people are mainly located in the Central and Western regions of Ghana, occupying the forest and coast ...

, Mankessim was the first Akan settlement to be founded after the Fantes migrated to the Atlantic coast from the wooded interior of the region, led by the legendary founders Oburumankoma, Odapagyan, and Oson. (Other traditions place Mankessim as a secondary settlement to Kwaman.) According to Rebecca Shumway, "a lack of reliable sources prohibits dating this migration with any certainty, but historians tend to agree that the Akan settlement at Mankessim occurred prior to the arrival of Portuguese traders on the Ghana coast in the 1470s". In the eighteenth century, the settlement was known among English traders and colonists as Murram. In the mid-nineteenth century, the chief of Mankessim was the paramount chief of the Fante. John Brandford Crayner lists the following recorded chiefs of Mankessim: # Eduono-Egyin 1502 # Kweku Befi 1585 # Ɔkofo Gyesi 1601 # Boa Amponsem 1740 # Adoko Panyin 1827 # Adoko Kuma 1831 # Nana Obosu 1844 # Kwesi Edu 1851 # Kweku Mbir 1860 # Edu Agyeman 1910 # Aborbora-Katakyi 1915 # Boako 1922 # Adoko II 1925–68 # Adoko V 1969–76

Health

Mankessim has a number of hospitals and clinics, and therefore, access to healthcare in the town is quite high. Some of these health centers are the Mercy Women's hospital located near the Manna Heights Hotel and Conference Center, Fynba Hospital, and a branch of the Sanford World Clinic in Ghana (inaugurated in 2013 ).

Recreation

There are a lot of attractive places to visit in this town including ecological and cultural sites. There are also reputable hotels and guest houses available where visitors can lodge and rest. Examples include Manna Heights Hotel and Conference Center and Fowaa Lodge.

Banks

* Ghana Commercial Bank * Kakum Rural Bank * Multi Credit * Agricultural Development Bank

Education

Mankessim currently has several secondary schools. These include: * Mankessim Senior High School * Obama College * St. Andrews College

Notable people

* Lydia Forson; actress - born in 1984 * Augustine Arhinful; footballer - born in 1994. *Nanahemaa Ama Amissah III; Paramount Queen mother of Mankessim

External links

Ghana-pedia webpage - Mankessim

References

Populated places in the Central Region (Ghana) {{CentralRegionGH-geo-stub