THE Mankralo of Kasoa in the Awutu-Senya East District of the Central Region, Nana Otuboah Kwesi Gariba I, has broken his silence and spoken for the first time about intriguing historical fact about Kasoa.
Speaking in an interview with journalists
to give historical fact about Kasoa, Nana Otuboah Kwesi Gariba I stated that Kasoa, formerly known as kwao Mensah Krom, Kasoa Gariba or Odupong , is a peri-urban town in the present Awutu Senya East Municipal District of the Central region of Ghana.
According to the chief, Kasoa is its name’s origin, which can be traced back to the northern word “Kasuwa,” signifying “market.”
He explained that Kasoa earned this name due to its role as a hub for northern Ghanaians who settled there, engaged in the sale of agricultural products, and cattle rearing.
He mentioned that the land of Kasoa is originally owned by the people of Gomoa Fetteh Traditional Area, saying that the people of Fetteh are first using the land of Kasoa for their agriculture activities.
He indicated that the man who is a very best farmer living in Kasoa was called Kwao Mensah and that the Kasoa Gomoa name is Kwao Mensah.
Before their forefathers finally settled on
the Kasoa, the Mankralo noted that their forefathers first settled at Opeikuma, saying that the friends of their forefathers, particularly the Muslims from Nigeria when they came for their trading activities they stated that they are going to Ashietu area in Kasoa.
He noted that all the times their forethers have started the barter trade activities in the market at Kasoa which stretching from 94 area to Kasoa New Town market last stop area.
“So this is the first area of where the barter trading activities of our forefathers started at Kasoa,” he stated.
Barter, the direct exchange of goods or services—without an intervening medium of exchange or money—either according to established rates of exchange or by bargaining. It is considered the oldest form of commerce.
He explained that when their forefathers are from the Opeikum Kumbe to Kasoa, they would first met Kwao Mensah to do business with him before, saying that the location of their current family house is a private residence of Kwoa Mensah.
He briefed the journalists on how their forefathers led by Gariba and his brother who was known as Abdullai met Kwao Mensah at Kasoa to discuss on their decision to finally settle at Kasoa.
“One day out forethers met Kwao Mensah to discuss with him that they have realized that it was too long to be walking from their place of abode at Opeikuma to come to Kasoa to do their barter trade,” he disclosed.
Following this development, he stated that their forefathers pleaded with Kwao Mensah that they wanted to come and settle near the Kasoa to help them do their businesses and that Kwao Mensah agreed with them.
However, as a result of this issue, Nana Otuboah Kwesi Gariba I indicated that Kwao Mensah sent their forefathers to the elders of the Fetteh who are original owers of Kasoa land.
He said eventually the elders of Fetteh have agreed for their forefathers to settle at Kasoa with kwao Mensah.
Seeing farming activities as lucrative, he averred that Kwao Mensah has left the place for their forefathers and moved to the different location to start his cocoa farming because he has taken his farming activities seriously.
He said after Kwao Mensah has left the area in the hands of their forefathers, every year their forefathers with the consultation of Kwao Mensah have been paying royalties to the the elders of the Gomoa Fetteh Traditional Area.
