DESCENDANTS OF NO LINEAGE: THE MARRIAGE OF OPOKU BEMPAH AND NAA ADJELEY . BY AKUA GHANA

 

Where do you come from? This is a common question in Ghana. 

Although I was born in Accra and have spent most of my 40+ years in the greater Accra region, I cannot say I am from Accra. 

I met a beautiful lady at Ekumfi Mpoano in the central region of Ghana. She spoke exquisite Fante and was even married to one sub-chief from Elmina. I assumed she was Fante or from that area. "Oh no, I am from Keta ooo." She explained that her ancestors were fishermen who settled in the area several years ago. She was a 4th generation settler. Per my calculations, her ancestors must have been in that part of central region for over 100 years. Could she not qualify to be from Ekumfi?

In primary one, I wrote my first essay about myself. It was there that I started to ask questions about where I was from. I told Mr. Badu, my teacher, that I was from Ghana, but he said that was not enough. "Where is your hometown, Akua?" he quizzed.

At home, I asked my father where he came from. You see, my friend, Enyonam, who sat by me in class, said she was from Ho, Ho was her father's hometown. I assumed that, it was the same for me. 

I never paid much attention to the subject until later. My parents were both Akans and most Akans inherited matrilineally. This also meant that, for Akans, children that a marriage is blessed with, for lack of better word, "belonged" to the wife and her family. So a child of Akan heritage bore his father's name but inherited from his mother's lineage.

I am told there is a historical precedence and justification for this system, but my interest today is in this particular case: Opoku Bempah and Naa Adjeley's marriage.

Opoku Bempah hails from Asante Mampong. This is where his mother comes from and like most Akans they practice the matrilineal system of inheritance. He has been married to Naa Adjeley for twelve years,  Naa Adjeley, hails from Teshie. Gas practice the patrilineal system of inheritance. This means that their offsprings belong neither to their father's side nor their mother's. 

Their marriage has been blessed with two sons and a daughter. Which lineage do these children belong to? Are they allowed to pick and choose their lineage? Can they be accepted and assimilated into any one of the lineages? Do they remain in limbo - a place of no lineage?

Ghanaians are known to be very hospitable and accommodating. We are able to bring home total strangers and make them brothers. So, should this even be a problem? No, it is never a problem until these children venture into chieftaincy and other traditional positions and practices where strict lineage requirement must be met.

The late Mr. Bashirou was my father's friend in the 80's he was born in Ghana to a Lebanese father and a Ghanaian mother. He could speak seven local dialects, no one was more Ghanaian than Mr. Bashirou. It was when he revealed his intensions of contesting for Assembly member at Okai Kwei that the controversy over the legitimacy of  the citizenship came up. 

Why would this even be an issue in the first place?  especially when it was proven that his mother was a Ghanaian. Could it be that the question was being considered from the angle of lineage? Well, since his mother was from the Volta region where they practiced the patrilineal system of inheritance, it could be interpreted that he belonged to his father's side and since his father was a Lebanese and not  a Ghanaian, he was assumed to be a Non-Ghanaian. Clearly this was a wrong assumption.

My observation however, is that, although these descendants are accepted, they will not be able to take up certain roles per tradition. King makers in their wisdom, reserve some chieftaincy roles on merit and not on lineage. Roles like "Nkoso)Hene, Mmrate3 Hene" etc. This allows these descendants and even associates to be of service in one way or the other within society. After all, we must remember that hailing from a place does not automatically give the rights to stools and skins. It is the preserve of particular families - royals. 

On the flip side, there are those who are accepted by both parent's lines. A typical example is when the father is from the patrilineal system and the mother from the matrilineal system, their descendants belong to both sides and those children are free to align where they prefer.

So, the next time you meet a Ghanaian girl or boy, just check if they really know where they are from.

 

By:Akua Ghana