In the Ghanaian fishing town of Apam, a tree standing along the Atlantic coast holds the key to one family's centuries-old history. Known as Santseo (a Fanti word meaning "Under"), it was reportedly planted in the 13th century by Komfo Nana Asumbia, a royal and spiritual leader from the Akwamu Kingdom. The tree sits between Fort Patience, a 17th-century Dutch trading post, and the Apam Methodist Church, symbolizing Ghana's layered past.
According to oral tradition, Nana Asumbia led a group of travelers carrying seedlings. At each stop they planted a tree; if it survived, they settled. After several failed attempts, they finally planted Santseo in Apam, where it thrived, marking their permanent home. The family home, Santsiwadzi, was later built around it.
Local historian Emmanuel Arkoful explains that the tree, Piliostigma thonningii (also known as camel's foot), was chosen for its resilience. Over time, the tree's spiritual significance faded as Christianity spread, but it remains a living link to the family's origins.