Following King Prempeh's trail - Part 2

The Seychelles it seems was somewhat of a smaller version of Australia for the British. There were several political prisoners that were sent here for varying ' crimes' against the empire. Apart from King Prempeh I, political prisoners came from other countries including:

• Uganda
• Maldives
• Zanzibar
• Cyprus
• Palestine
• Malawi
• Zanzibar
  
• Somalia and
  
• Egypt

King Prempeh however was exiled for the longest - having spent twenty four years on Mahe. His - and others - imprisonment was seen a a way of destroying the very base of traditional political systems. Like others, during his exile, King Prempeh was forced to convert to Christianity and choose Christian names. King Prempeh thus 'converted' an Anglican and chose the Christian name Edward - after King Edward of England (of course!). To complete the transformation he had to also give up traditional cloth, wear suits and learned to write and speak English.

As one historian noted however ' in 1924 when Prempeh returned to Kumasi, and contrary to British expectation that his exile had weakened the kingdom and would make him the embodiment of a British ruler, his people, the Asantes, who had waited for twenty four years and rejected British appointed Kings and chiefs in the interim, restored him as an Asantehene or King of the Asantes'.

Found this interesting extract at the National History Museum and thought I should share. Its an overview of the wages for the Ashanti Political prisoners as copied from an extract (original source unknown, spellings of names kept as seen in document).

Names	Ranks	Rate per day	Total
Edward Prempeh	Ex-King of Ashanti	Rs 7.50	Rs. 244.12
George Assibi	Ex-King of Kakafu	Rs 2.25	Rs 73.24
Kojo Apia	Ex-King of Kumassi	Rs 1.27	Rs 60.87
Asafu Beashen	Ex-King of Kumassi	Rs 1.87	Rs 60.87
Beatin	Ex-King of Kumassi	Rs 1.87	Rs 60.87
Ya Assantiwa	Queen Mother	Rs 3.37	Rs 109.69
Kofi Kofia	Ex-King of Berumfu	Rs 1.87	Rs 60.87
Kobina Kwantabissah	Ex-King of Oduman	Rs 1.87	Rs 60.37
Kwami Chausa	Ex-King of Berumfui	Rs 1.87	Rs 60.37
Edu Kofi	Ex-King of Berumfu	Rs 1.87	Rs 60.87
Kwami Akrema	Ex-King of Talkerii	Rs 1.87	Rs 60.37

Sources

Picture: Ghana Web
Encyclopedia of the African Disapora: Origins, Experiences and Culture
edited by Carole Boyce Davis