Ghanaian authorities have initiated a search for the individuals responsible for felling a renowned 300-year-old kola tree, widely believed to possess healing properties.
The tree traces its origins to the Ashanti Kingdom, situated in present-day Ghana.
Local residents claim that the tree sprouted from the spot where the esteemed priest Komfo Anokye spat a kola nut on the ground in the early 1700s.
A significant number of local inhabitants held the belief that the black and white seeds of the kola tree possessed the ability to cure ailments and ward off curses.
Outrage swept through the Ghanaian community as images of the fallen tree in the town of Feyiase circulated online.
Situated in the midst of a crucial road connecting Ghana’s commercial hub, Kumasi, to Lake Bosomtwe, the tree held a central position.
It was spared during the construction of the highway due to its popularity, serving as a tourist attraction for both Ghanaians and foreigners alike.
It is not clear why it was cut down now.
Osei-Bonsu Safo Kantanka, the Director of Research at Manhyia Palace, the seat of the Ashanti royal family, informed the BBC that the location of the tree held great historical significance for the Ashanti Kingdom.
The Battle of Feyiase marked a historic conflict where the Ashanti people fought for their independence against the formidable kingdom of Denkyira.
Mr Kantanka said the location of the tree “was the same spot the people of Denkyira were defeated by the Asantes”.
Komfo Anokye was a formidable fetish priest, a figure regarded as a mediator between the spiritual realm and the living.
According to oral tradition, Komfo Anokye is said to have buried a sword in the ground, which steadfastly remains in place and cannot be removed. This legendary act took place on the grounds of a hospital in Kumasi that now bears his name.
The tree served as a continual reminder of his remarkable achievements.
