ENGLISH SHORT VERSION

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE GODENU ROYAL KINGDOM

GODENU means BE STEADFAST WITH GOD.

It was created as a result of chieftancy dispute at WEGBE KINGDOM created by our forefathers in the 13th.  CENTURY. The EWE kingdom was at Notsie in the Republic of TOGO. Misunderstanding made the EWE Kingdom got divided. A lot of clans and families left Notsie under the rule of Togbe Agokoli I in the older days and settled along the borders of the then Gold Coast now Ghana and Togo called Trans Volta Togoland now the Volta Region of Ghana. After the world war I, the German colonies were divided between the French and the British. Half became the Republic of Togo and the other half joined Ghana.

Each families and clans after leaving Notsie in Togo established themselves. The present day Godenu kingdom was then called WEGBE which was established by the NYIVE CLAN. It was established by our ancestor after migrating from the Ewe Kingdom in NOTSIE TOGO. The Nyive clan was made up of three other families  known as GOLOGA , AWUMADAKE AND AMETU respectively. The kingship at that time was rotated among these three families. Lateron these clans  joined the NYIVE clan to form the WEGBE Kingdom (clans DANORKPEDZI, ZORKORGBE, KPIAYA, DZABE AND ADZOKOE). Each of these clans has their own chiefs, queens and other traditional rulers all under the NYIVE King.

After the death of the King from the Nyive clan, other clans also wanted to become the big king of the Wegbe Kingdom, fighting here and there. TOGBE OSEI II. who was then trained by the Germans at DZEVETODZI in the present day REPUBLIC OF TOGO as interpreter became the next King of the kingdom. He was not happy of the way things are going so he decided to create another KINGDOM. He succeeded and created the GODENU KINGDOM IN 1942. He moved with all the clans leaving DANORKPEDZI and KPIAYA alone at the old Kingdom of Wegbe. Togbe Osei II. then was the only king who was made a judge by the colonial government to arbitrate on cases in court in the whole Traditional Area because he was then well educated and could speak and write German, English, French and the local language Ewe.

Togbe Osei II ruled for sixty years and died at the age of 117 in 1985. He was my biological grandfather. In 2002 I was enstooled in his place as the new ruler of the Godenu Kingdom under the stool name Togbe Osei III.

OUR RELIEF PROGRAM – SHORT VERSION IN ENGLISH

New classrooms and clean waterNew classrooms and clean waterSchool is beginning also in Ghana. Emigration is gathering in schools of the kingdom Godenu, which are accessible for Christian and Muslim children in the same way. A modern, multi-storeyed schoolhouse was build, financed from by Saudi money. The children, who are willing to attend classes, have to be Muslims and learn the Arabic language. The duty of covering in Arabic traditional clothing is concerning all of the girls. At the same time, the existing Christian schools are suffering from constructional defects and unworthily hygienic conditions. A hole in the ground is used as a toilet. The students are forced to hunker down on a crossbar. Children are falling into these holes consistently, which is very dangerous, because they can be infected with diseases like cholera, dysentery or typhus and hepatitis. For this reason, many of the parents are worried and wanting their children to attend classes in the new Saudi-school. Due to first donations by Help Godenu it could be stepped forward in this year’s May, for the future of Muslim and Christian students in the jungle-village Avega in the region of Volta: The finishing of a stable fundament, which is the basis of the new school. In the meantime, provisional walls were build. The aim is the construction of fixed rooms, so the classes can be independent from weather and can take place in the rainy season too.  Currently, the main issue in times of the final work-up phase is the sanitary setting of the new schoolhouse. Our aims are high-flying – but convertible with your support. In this autumn, we are Safer water supply:Help Godenu is building a well, because a secure water supply is a precondition to a working primary school. The overall costs (drilling, water pump, two water tanks) are about 4.500 euro.going to build:New sanitary facilities:Working toilet facilities are essential and protecting the students from dangerous diseases. The finishing of overall 15 toilets (water supply, electric pumps, toilet bowls, wash-handbasin) costs for each of these 750 euro. The families on their own have already built the sinks. Six new classrooms:The school in Avega is in need of new rooms for each one of the six primary school classes. In this way, the classes should be more attractive to the students. The construction of a new and weatherproof school building costs about 7.500 euro.We are in need of:- at least one well – 4.500 euro- 15 clean und hygienic sanitary facilities – 750 euro – six classrooms, to guarantee a training school for the students – 45.000 euro