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The NZIMA people belong to the great AKAN family, a nation of 25 million West African people living in CÔTE d'IVOIRE and GHANA.

With other AKAN communities, the NZIMA share  a common language, culture, social and political organization, and history.

Their language is TWI, of which NZIMA is a variation.

Important characteristics of AKAN civilization include a culture of Gold (best manifested by the famous Akan Gold Weights), trade tools,

 communication instruments, a proto-scripture and religious symbols.    

Akan society is noted for a strong structure that accords a prime role to women in a dominant matriarchy.

The political organization is hierarchical in structure, based on the ABUSUA,  the family, and headed by the AHENFIE, the royal court.

The King, HENE and the queen mother, OBAHENE are institutions personifying the nation.

Actual decision-making power lies with an assembly of notables  representing local chiefdoms.

This assembly elects the king from among candidates of royal blood.

The NZIMA country lies on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean between ABIDJAN in CÔTE d'IVOIRE and TAKORADI in GHANA.

The first NZIMA settled this region around 1230 AD. They came from BONO (North-West GHANA).

The foundation of the NZIMA kingdom dates back to 1470.

 Despite being a vassal, this Kingdom maintained a certain independance towards the political heart of the AKAN nation, personified

 first by the BONO-HENE (Bono kingdom),  later by the DENKYIRA-HENE  and then by the ASHANTI-HENE.

 From 1503 to 1831 The NZIMA had to suffer  from the tragedy of the transatlantic deportation.

Europeans built 3 important forts for the slave trade on the NZIMA coast: AXIM, DIXCOVE and ASSINIE.

Recent studies assert  that  African American and Black Caribbeans share up to 35% of  their genotypes with AKANS.

Slave traders particularly valued the NZIMA for their physiques and handsome appearance.

 Traders gave them the appelation of "APPOLO" as a designation of their high quality. 

The thick forest of the NZIMA hinterland also gave refuge to many who escaped deportation.

The most notorious case is the exodus of the ADINGRA (DENKYIRA) people, who feared being sold to EUROPEANS

 after the ASHANTI defeated them at the battle of FEYASE. 

The ADINGRA asked for protection by the NZIMA before they continued West to found the Kingdoms of  SANWI and BAOULE

 in what is now CÔTE d'IVOIRE.

European colonization started with the creation of the British colony of GOLD COAST (now GHANA) in 1822. 

In 1831 most of the NZIMA kingdom was occupied by the British. Their meddling in the Kingdom's succession affairs led to a civil war and,

in 1841, to the relocation of the throne, symbol of the monarchy, from BENYIN to TIAPOUM on the West shore of the  river TANOH,

outside the British colony.

In 1893 this region became part of French colony of  la CÔTE d'IVOIRE.

GHANA became independant in 1957 and CÔTE d'IVOIRE in 1960.

But the kingdom of NZIMA KOTOKO never regained its unity despite the fact that KOTOKO refers to the Porcupine,

 whose numerous spines protect him from the biggest predators:

Unity is Freedom. 

Nowadays, the NZIMA KOTOKO AHENFIE  is in Grand-BASSAM, CÔTE d'IVOIRE.

and since 2004 the King of NZIMA KOTOKO has been  Nanan AWOULA AMON TANOE.