[1] In his research, “The Akwamu suzerainty witnessed a period of disturbed conditions among the Guan communities: incessant plunder, bad harvests … actions of cruelty.”[1] As a result of Akwamu atrocities, life became insufferable for the Guan natives leading to a struggle for secure their freedom.

The Guans appealed to the paramount chief of Akyem Abuakwa, Nana Ofori Panin to intervene in the matter.

[1][2][3] The original state capital was at Amanprobi, built on a parcel of land donated by Okyeame Aworoben of Mamfe.

[1] Hundred years after the founding of Akropong during the reign of Nana Addo Dankwa, a Danish minister and missionary of the Basel Mission, Andreas Riis arrived in Akropong in January 1835 on a fact-finding mission, accompanied by his mulatto friend, George Lutterodt who served as his interpreter.

[1] Riis decided to move to Akuapem Hills due to the conducive climate, his desire to work among truly indigenous people whose way of life had not been influenced by European settlement, like it was in coastal areas, and the freedom that came with working in remote towns and villages without any suspicion of being a colonial agent.

At this point, he decided to permanently leave the Gold Coast for Europe with the blessing of the Basel Mission home office in Switzerland.

During the farewell ceremony, the chief made comments that implied that Christianity and the Bible was for the white man while the idolatry was reserved for the African native.

[1][8][9][10] This goodbye philosophical message became food for thought for Andreas Riis and he relayed the chief's words to the Home Committee in Basel upon his return to Europe.

[1][8][9][10] On 16 or 17 April 1843, 24 individuals consisting of six distinct families and three bachelors arrived in Osu and shortly thereafter, to Akropong to engage in pioneering missionary work.

[6] Toward the end of 1843, the Caribbean missionaries started one of the first primary schools in the country in order to introduce literacy into the area.

[11] Native pastors and Salem alumni such as David Asante, Theophilus Opoku, Jonathan Palmer Bekoe, and Paul Staudt Keteku, worked with Johann Gottlieb Christaller in translating the Bible into the Twi language and later in compiling his great Twi Dictionary and book of Akan proverbs.

[1][5] The Gold Coast church became fully independent in 1918 after the British colonial government expelled the Basel missionaries as alien security risk during World War I.