The Springs of Our Ancestors: The Customary Custodianship of the Ʋenyatame Well at Tegbi-Kpota

An Ewe proverb wisely reminds us: "Tɔmedelaa mebua tɔme gbe o"—The one who goes to the river to fetch water never forgets the path to the source. For the people of the Anlo State (Aŋlɔnyigba), that sacred path leads directly to Tegbi-Kpota. Nestled within this elevated coastal terrain lies Ʋenyatame, the foundational historical well that serves as the spiritual heartbeat of the state.

This historic sanctuary sits on the ancestral lands of the Besah and Geoffrey Klu Akpalu Family. For generations, this family line has guarded the waters that define the spiritual cleanliness, governance, and survival of the fifteen Anlo clans. As a descendant of this lineage, the author carries the duty of preserving this legacy, ensuring that the modern world remembers where the story of Anlo reached its defining moment.

The Rest of the Patriarch: The History of Ʋenyatame

To appreciate the depth of Tegbi-Kpota, one must recall the journey of the great exodus from Notsie. Under the guidance of the legendary patriarch Amega Ʋenya, the Ewe people migrated across unforgiving terrains. As another profound proverb notes: "Agbeti yibo madidi ku afi si tsi le o"—The dark, resilient roots of the ancient tree will always find where the deep waters flow.

Upon reaching the high ground of Tegbi-Kpota, Ʋenya, weighed down by immense age and the exhaustion of the journey, collapsed. It was here, on the lands held by the Akpalu ancestors, that his followers dug into the earth to find a life-saving source of water. [ Arduous Exodus from Notsie ] ───► [ Exhaustion at Tegbi-Kpota ] │ ▼ [ Well Dug on Akpalu Land ] │ ▼ [ "Menlo" (The Recoil of Anlo) ]

Drinking the sweet, pure water from this coastal well, Ʋenya declared that his knees had bent and his body had "recoiled" (menlo) from fatigue. This historic declaration gave birth to the name Aŋlɔ. Thus, the Ʋenyatame well is not simply a water source; it marks the geographic birth site of the Anlo identity.

The Sacrosanct Rituals of Hogbetsotso
The waters of Ʋenyatame are treated with deep reverence. In Anlo tradition, "Tsi fafa egbɔa dzo"—It is only calm, consecrated water that can quench the fiercest fire. This truth is demonstrated every year ahead of the grand Anlo Hogbetsotso Festival.

Before any public celebrations or cultural drumming can begin, the state must undergo intense purification rites. High priests from the Lɔaƒe and Amlade clans make a solemn pilgrimage to Tegbi-Kpota. Under the spiritual protection and permission of the Besah and Geoffrey Klu Akpalu Family, the priests draw the sacred water from Ʋenyatame.

This water is used for:

• The Gbedoɖa (State Prayers): Purifying the air and inviting blessings over the traditional area.
• Stool Purification: Washing the ancestral royal stools to maintain spiritual authority.
• Clan Libations: Pouring state libations (Tsiƒoɖi) to unify the fifteen clans and honor the ancestors.

As the elders say: "Metsɔa asi eve fiaa tɔwò ƒe tɔme o"—You do not use two hands to point toward your own father's village source. This underscores the absolute necessity of the Akpalu family land; without the water of Tegbi-Kpota, the spiritual foundation of the Hogbetsotso festival cannot be established.

Institutional Recommendations for Historical Preservation

To ensure this vital piece of living history is protected on platforms like Modern Ghana, the following steps are recommended:

• National Heritage Status: The Anlo Traditional Council and the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board (GMMB) should declare the Ʋenyatame well site at Tegbi-Kpota an Official National Cultural Heritage Site.
• Legal Protections for Custodianship: Establish formal traditional structures that preserve the Besah and Geoffrey Klu Akpalu Family as the perpetual, recognized guardians of the landmark, shielding it from urban encroachment.
• Educational Tourism: Develop an educational monument at Tegbi-Kpota, allowing students, researchers, and tourists to learn the history of the migration directly at the site where the name Anlo was born.

The story of Ʋenyatame reminds us that a nation's greatness is preserved by those who guard its roots. Through the lineage of the Besah and Geoffrey Klu Akpalu Family, the pure, ancestral spirit of Anlo continues to flow. By honoring this land and its sacred waters, we embrace the timeless wisdom of the elders: "Ne nku dzo le anyigba la, agblemenukuwo fiaa tɔ"—When the fire of the modern sun scorches the bare earth, it is the deep seed buried in ancestral soil that remembers how to sprout.

✍️ Submitted by:
Retired Senior Citizen
For and on behalf of all Senior Citizens of the Republic of Ghana 🇬🇭

Teshie-Nungua
[email protected]