Ohene
/oʊˈhɛn.i/noun
A Ghanaian king or paramount chief, especially in Akan-speaking communities.
Did you know?Among the Akan, an ohene traditionally governs with the symbolic authority of the ancestors, and his golden regalia can function as a visible record of dynastic history.
Etymological Timeline
Precolonial period
Akan
hene
“King, chief, or ruler; the independent title underlying ohene.”
Precolonial period
Akan
o-hene
“A personal or honorific form built with the Akan nominal element o- plus hene.”
18th–19th Century
Twi
ohene
“King or paramount chief in Twi-speaking Akan societies.”
19th Century
English
ohene
“A Ghanaian king or chief, recorded as an English loanword.”
Modern English
English
Ohene
“A title or name referring to an Akan king, chief, or royal figure.”