Mining and conflict in the Akyem Abuakwa Kingdom in the Eastern Region of Ghana, 1919–1938

• Diamond mining resulted in conflict in Akyem Abuakwa.
• Mining led to secession attempts in Akyem Abuakwa.
• Mining led to protracted litigation in the Akyem Abuakwa state.
• Disbursements of colossal sums of concession rents led to cascading destoolments.

This paper provides an overview of the conflict involving the Okyenhene Ofori Atta I and two of his subordinate chiefs, Kwaku Amoah of Asamankese and Odikro Kwame Kuma of Akwatia, in colonial Ghana. Popularly referred to in Ghanaian historiography as the “Asamankese Crisis”, this conflict was triggered by the discovery and subsequent exploitation of diamonds in the township of Akwatia. It is argued that the quest for resource control in the Akyem Abuakwa traditional area proved to be a major driver of social conflicts in Ghana during the period under study.