Osei Tutu unified Asante states in Ghana, creating a confederacy rich in gold and kente cloth. Centralized under the Golden Stool symbol. It resisted British incursions. The empire exemplified Akan statecraft and economy.

The Asante Empire's dominance in the gold trade around 1701 led to the creation of drum poetry and proverbs that transmitted history and cultural values. This oral tradition significantly influenced Ghanaian literature and the voices of the African diaspora.