Koforidua is one of the largest and most beautiful cities in Ghana. Located in the Eastern region, just 83 Km north of Accra, this fantastic location is surrounded by peaceful mountains and hills and most importantly, is cherished and endeared by the hearts of many Ghanaians.
Do you know the reasons why the name Koforidua evokes so many positive thoughts amongst Ghanaians? Do you know how the term Koforidua flowers came to be? What about the legend of the mahogany tree? Let’s take a look at this interesting piece of Ghanaian history.
A brief history of Koforidua and the origin of its name
In 1875, many people migrated from Juaben and other parts of the Ashanti region and came southwards to seek new beginnings. This was mainly due to the adverse effects that the Sagrenti War had on Kumasi and its satellite towns.
They came to the lands of the Akyem people and sought permission from the chiefs and leadership to be able to settle in their territory. Their pleas fell on good soil and they were allocated a land and the whole area where they lived subsequently became known as Juaben – named after the town they were from.
Koforidua is a part of the Juaben township. Today, the whole district is called New Juaben to prevent any miscommunication and confusion that could come because of how similar the name of the towns was. Many in Ghana informally call it Koftown or Kof-City.
The story of the Koforidua mahogany tree
When the immigrants began to settle there and were forming small villages, a man called Kofi Ofori went to an uninhabited area and decided to plant a mahogany tree. With time, the plant germinated and after some time, it became big and very visible to passersby. The branches became very big and its leaves provided shade from the scorching African sun.
Many people sought shade under this mahogany tree in the heat of the afternoons and had chats there. Particularly, farmers who were coming home from their farms who were tired from their work, walking and the heat would stop by the mahogany tree to catch their breath and listen for the latest rumors and gossip in town.
With time, this mahogany tree became a well-known landmark. It became a reference point for giving directions. Not only that; because there were no mobile instant communication devices and technologies there at that time, many meetings and meetups were scheduled to happen there because it had become so well known.
At this point, many had begun to refer to this point as Kofi Ofori dua; Dua means stick or plant. So, the area was known as the area around Koo Ofori’s tree.
As modernization was happening, this small place started growing and many came to eventually settle there because it later became a hub for trade. With time, calling the place Kofi Ofori dua was a mouthful and people started to call the place Koforidua.
How Koforidua became the link between the southern and middle territories
The name got stuck and by the time the colonial administration mapped out the area for administrative work, the name Koforidua had become codified. With time, the area became a major trading hub for business people because of its strategic location – linking the southern territories of Ghana to the Middle territories.
In the 1950’s Koforidua became a major trading hub and many people migrated from other parts of the country to also take advantage of the economic activities. All the economic activity started when the Accra – Kumasi Railway line was completed by the Gordon Guggisberg administration in 1923.
The newly opened railway lines helped open up economic activities in Koforidua. It was not only the rail work. Other developments like the introduction and spread of regular wage labor where a relationship is formed between a worker and an employer; also, the introduction of farm mortgaging where a farmer can be granted a loan to improve his or her business with the farm as guarantee.
What are the Koforidua flowers?
All these events facilitated the growth of Koforidua as a central hub for business. The new rail system was the catalyst. With its commercial and capitalistic growth, many people found it advantageous to migrate there.
Many of these were women who wanted to sell because word had gone around that there was a demand for wares and there was the promise to make a lot of money. This resulted in these Koforidua ladies earning the nickname Koforidua flowers and these women got married and lived their entire lives there thus becoming indigenes.
Many men from other towns heard about these Koforidua flowers and they also trooped in to find mates. This also led to there being a good market for live band music because many men loved to take their women out to have a good time.
The term ‘Koforidua flowers’ has been popularized by several highlife music songs. The term was used to refer to the many ladies from different cultures who purposely migrated to the town to trade and later became indigenous. This subsequently became a pickup line many men used in wooing their love interests.
Tourist sites in Koforidua
Boti Falls
To get to the Boti falls, you have to pass through Koforidua and depending on the route you take you can see the Obuor Tabiri (Tabiri mountain) which is considered as a sacred mountain. These attractions always bring many people to Koforidua.
To commemorate the migration of the people of Juaben in the Ashanti region to New Juaben (Koforidua), the people of Koforidua celebrate ‘Akwantukese’ (the great voyage festival). It is a week-long celebration held in November that has quite a number of activities taking place which includes traditional rites and activities, football and other sporting events as well as music performances.
This annual festival was instituted in 1997 to foster togetherness as well as pray for a good year. Many people plan their trips to Koforidua to coincide with the Akwantukese festival so as to make the best out of their trip. You can too.
Be sure to check the top tourist sites in Ghana if you want to explore the best attractions of the West African country.
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