​

“Ofuafoɔ, Nkabom Mmerɛ”

(Fante Expression meaning “Unity in Service”)

 

Fante Roots and Cultural Identity

The Fante are a subgroup of the Akan ethnic family in Ghana, traditionally residing along the Central Region’s coastal plain, from Cape Coast to Elmina, with deep roots in maritime trade, scholarship, and statecraft. Known historically as the Fante Confederacy, the Fante played pivotal roles in commerce, education, and the nation’s path to independence. Their language (Fante, part of Akan) and customs—such as dipo rites, Oguaa monarchic traditions, and Cape Coast castle rituals—reflect centuries of coastal culture, resilience, and four-hundred-year European contact.

 

⸻

 

Organization Formation & Community Origins

The Fante Benevolent Society (FBS) of Metropolitan Chicago began informally in the late 1970s, consolidating into an organized body by 1981 under the leadership of early founders like Mrs. Gladys Norman, Mr. John Kofie, Mrs. Julie Kofie, Mrs. Beatrice Atiemo, and Mr. Kwamena Buckle. The first formal FBS president, Mr. Willie Grant-Acquah, was appointed in August 1981 . The Society was founded to unite Fante descendants and their allies in Chicago, fostering community support, cultural continuity, and educational uplift while retaining essential family and hometown connections to Ghana’s Central Region.

​

 

Ties to the Ghana National Council (GNC)

The FBS was one of the original Ghanaian ethnic associations that joined with others—such as Asanteman, Ewe Association, GaDangme, Okuapeman, Okyeman—to form the Ghana National Council of Metropolitan Chicago (GNC) in 1984. Within GNC, FBS has consistently contributed to leadership and programming:

• Fante representatives served on the Central Committee and participated in drafting the early GNC constitution.

• The Society regularly organizes the Fante durbar procession at Ghanafest, highlighting Fante regalia, adowa dance, royal court presence, and cultural education booths   .

 

⸻

 

Cultural Engagement & Ghanafest Presence

At Ghanafest, FBS plays a visible role in celebrating Fante heritage through:

• Traditional durbar processions led by chiefs and queen mothers from the Central Region

• Fante drumming and dance performances, featuring Adowa and Asafo marching groups

• Educational exhibits on Fante history, Cape Coast landmarks, fishing traditions, and proverbs

In doing so, FBS adds a distinctive coastal cultural narrative to GNC’s broader festive tapestry.

 

Community Service & Diaspora Development

Beyond culture, the Fanti Benevolent Society is known for charitable work, including:

• Adopting the children’s unit of Cape Coast (Central Regional) Hospital, and covering medical support and equipment needs   .

• In 2012, FBS donated pap-smear testing kits worth $10,000 to assist with cervical cancer screening at Cape Coast Regional Hospital  .

• Scholarship support and mentorship programs within the Chicago Fante-American community, especially for youth education and community leadership development.

 

Legacy: Unity Through Service and Heritage

For over four decades, the Fante Benevolent Society of Chicago has stood as a model of diaspora leadership, embodying the Fante values of service (“Ofuafoɔ”), unity (“Nkabom”), and cultural dignity. Its early role in GNC’s formation, its annually visible presence at Ghanafest, and its commitment to charitable development in Ghana reflect a lasting legacy shaped by tradition and civic purpose:

 

“Ofuafoɔ, Nkabom Mmerɛ”—Unity in Service

 

​