The Chiefs and people of the Amedzofe in the Ho West District of the Volta Region have opened two sacred sites to tourism traffic.
The Dark and Sacred Forests, known locally as Egemese and Oneeme, hold significant value to the tribal war history of the Amedzofe, Ewedome people and the Asantes.
This initiative expands the community’s catalogue, which is blessed with numerous tourist attractions, including mountains, special animal species, waterfalls, and caves, among others.
Amedzofe sits on the Togo Atakora Mountain range, 685.8 meters above sea level, being identified as the highest human settlement in Ghana.
It experiences hazy weather, a temperature between 27.7°C and 19.0°C, and visibility of 10-20 meters.
Egemese (The Dark Forest)
Egemese, which translates to the Dark Forest, was reported to have been discovered between 1869 and 1872.
It is a valley in between Mount Gemi and Egemitigo, measuring about 100 meters deep, with a stone cliff of about 150 meters in height and 250 meters in width.
It was where the Asantes were defeated during the tribal war and slave trade era by the Amedzofe and Ewedome people.
The Asantes were led by Nana Nantwi while the Ewedome and Amedzofe warriors were led by Togbega Kodzo Dei IV of Peki and Osawa Pekyi of Amedzofe.
History has it that some Ewedome and Amedzofe warriors stationed at the peak of Mount Gemi and Egemitigo fired guns and made noise to lure the Asantes into the valley.
Upon arrival at an identified location, the warriors on the peak of the mountains rolled huge stones and directed them towards the valley, which trashed, killed, and wounded some of the Asante warriors.
Osawa Pekyi, a brave woman of the Obodjani-Avati lineage, mastered in handling guns and gunpowder, joined the warriors in the battle.
She is said to have killed some of the leaders of the Asante army, leading to their defeat.
The wounded were captured together with their belongings to seal a victory for the Ewedome and Amedzofe people and end the attempted invasion of the Asantes in the Ewe land.
The Dark Forest has since been considered an Ancestral Heritage and identified as a sacred area where farming, hunting, or settlement is prohibited.
Until now, only traditional leaders of the Odopome Clan, the earth owners, were allowed access to Egemese to perform annual rituals.
Tree backs, leaves, ropes, and roots of special plants are also harvested to perform rituals for the Iborle (Hut-Earth deity) and the Keseka (Community Protection deity).
The 35-minute hike along Mount Gemi to The Dark Forest is breathtaking, revealing nice scenery, including the Volta Lake, among other beautiful landscapes.
The Forest, which provides a conducive environment for relaxation, research, and adventure, among others, harbours various plants and animals suitable for medicine, research, and traditional purposes.
Oneeme (A Bossom of a woman)
The Oneeme Sacred Forest area was used as an emergency gathering centre for elders of the Amedzofe community, prior to the tribal war.
During the peak of the war, with an imminent Asante invasion, Osawa Pekyi, of the Obodjani-Avati lineage, led her people to the cliff of Mount Gemi for shelter, safety, and protection.
It turned out to be her base where she served the people food and water and provided healthcare, while helping in the war against the Asantes.
Taking the stage in a male-dominated war, Osawa Pekyi, as narrated, possessed some magical powers that manifested during the war. One of her roles was distributing gunpowder to the warriors on the battlefield.
A significant incident was when she fired a gun loaded with bullets and a sacred cloth used during menstruation, which neutralised and weakened the spiritual forces of the Asante warriors.
This act led to the death of the leader of the Asante, who was being carried shoulder-high in a palanquin in Egemese, the Dark Forest. The Ewedome and Amedzorfe people triumphed in the war, ending the tribal war.
Osawa Pekyi was honoured with a queenship titled, Osawa Dzedze Asantesue, with her authority extending across all Ewedome areas, until colonial and political interference in the chiefdom operations limited her to Avatime.
Oneeme has a stone cliff measuring 300m high and 180m wide. It serves as protection against the sun and rain.
The Forest, which is a landing site for the Ghana Armed Forces during cadet training on rappelling and scout camps in the 1980s, has since been opened to tourists.