“Anlo Kotsiklolo Naketi ɖeka nɔ dzome bi nu” literally means Anlo round and serene, a
single faggot in the fire cooked the meal.
During the reign of Tɔgbi Atiasa I, from 1784-1810 and Aʋadada
Kɔwuga I, the Danes had resolved to punish Gerald Delima for waging wars and to
control their trading routes on the Volta and along the coast from the Volta
estuary eastwards along the coast to Dahomey. Knowing well the prowess of Anlo,
they marshalled forces which included the Gas, Akwapims, Krobos, Akims and
Adas, numbering 24,000 and invaded Anlo.
.
The invading forces crossed the Volta and entered the
mangrove forest along the banks of the Tɔdzi River. Aʋadada Kɔwuga with an army
of 8,000 attacked the allied forces in the night, pursued and took many as
hostages leaving them in total disarray and looking for an escape route.
A man known as Adzibli coincidentally appeared on the bank
of the Volta River in a large canoe and offered to ferry the retreating allied
forces across the river. The unsuspecting fugitives agreed to Adzibli’s
request. He carried offered to carry them in batches across and on reaching
midstream; he capsized the boat, drowning them. Adzibli returned and repeated
this act until thousands of the enemy forces were all destroyed far in excess
of those who died fighting during the war.
.
When news of Adzibli’s heroic exploits reached, the people
were amazed that one man could accomplish what hundreds or thousands had
previously failed to achieve and the saying “one faggot in the fire cooked the
meal”
This adage(saying) therefore extols the bravery of one
individual, who performed a task meant for thousand people. This set aside the
notion that numbers meant strength, but rather upholds the individual bravery
and ingenuity.
Credit: alexkpodonulibrary.com
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