Armed Robberies in Colonial Asante: Official Denial, Private Speculation, and the Perpetuation of Stereotype, 1935–45

Abstract Armed robberies that occurred in colonial Asante between 1935 and 1945 made life unbearable. This caused the colonial state and the restored Asante monarchy to try to find solutions to the growing insecurity. This article considers the various reactions to the armed robberies as a lens on the colonial state’s relationship with Asante society at the height of colonial power (1935–45). We argue that the colonial state was undercut by tensions, contradictions, and conflicts, which produced paralysis at times, rendering its approach inconsistent. This contention goes against the image of benevolence and goodwill presented by the colonial state in Asante historiography. This article draws on a previously unexplored set of records from the Kumase branch of Ghana’s Public Records and Archives Administration Department and the Manhyia Archives, newspaper articles, and state commission reports to make its case.