July 2 Sword in the Stone

We went to Okomfo Anokye Hospital. This is a historical site in Ghana as well as a teaching hospital (like the University Hospital). Okomfo Anokye was a spiritual leader in the Asante Kingdom which is located in the city of Kumasi.Kumasi is the capital of the Asante Kingdom. Asante was the most powerful empire in the West Africa region during the 18th century. The Asante kingdom was larger then the current day country of Ghana. The first king of Asante was King Osei Tutu I and Okomfo Anokye was his closest advisor. In time Osei Tutu I founded the Asante kingdom. The site of the hospital is where the Asante kingdom was organized in 1697. It included 11 divisional chiefs. It is stated that the fingernails and some of each chief's hair was burned into a black powder which was mixed for all the chiefs to drink. The rest was buried in the ground where Okomfo Anokye planted his sword. He stated that if anyone removed the sword it would mark the collapse of the Asante empire. We saw this sword today, embedded on the hospital grounds.

Talk about King Arthur and the sword in the stone. This was real! Okomfo's sword has been in the same place since 1697 and cannot be removed. Countless people have tried too remove it but have failed. In 1964 Mohammed Ali came to Kumasi for two weeks and tried to remove the sword but was unsuccessful. It is said in 1950, when the hospital was being constructed, the contractor, a Mr Gee, tried to remove the sword using a bulldozer. He mentions that he had planned to use the bulldozer many times but he when actually tried, the sword would disappear and reappear weeks later. I found this so interesting!