Stolen Legacy - Ep03 (The Ashanti Golden Stool)

EPISODE 3: THE ASHANTI GOLDEN STOOL.

In January 1896, the British entered Kumasi pretending to bring peace but came for the Ashanti Empire’s true treasure—its gold, its pride, and above all, the sacred Golden Stool, the spiritual heart of the Ashanti people. Governor Hodgson’s demand to sit on the stool sparked outrage and ignited resistance. From this rose Yaa Asantewaa, the queen mother who rallied the Ashanti to fight when the men hesitated. The Yaa Asantewaa War of 1900 became a fierce battle as the Ashanti defended their heritage against British forces armed with Maxim guns.

Though the British eventually captured Kumasi and looted vast royal treasures now displayed in European museums, they never found the Golden Stool. It remained—and still remains—protected.

The episode ends by questioning Africans today: while the Ashanti protected their sacred symbol, modern leaders surrender culture, pride, and sovereignty for foreign approval. The message warns that colonizers once stole gold and artifacts—but today, they steal meaning, identity, and dignity, because we no longer defend them like the Ashanti once did.