“Obi nka bi.”
Let us not bite one another.
This symbol comes from the Adinkra corpus of proverbial signs. At its center are twelve protrusions moving clockwise around a shared core. They resemble two creatures biting each other from behind, an image that captures a community in conflict, where harm is inflicted from within rather than by an external force.
The proverb, “obi nka bi”, translates as “Let us not bite one another.” It is a call for restraint, coexistence, and collective responsibility, grounded in the understanding that peace and harmony are prerequisites for meaningful development.
The Asantehene presenting his Report on the Bawku Conflict to President Mahama. The King’s cloth conveys the proverb.
The proverb’s contemporary relevance was underscored during Ghana’s recent efforts to address the long-standing conflict in Bawku, in the Upper East Region. In December 2025, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, wore cloth bearing the Obi Nka Bi symbol when presenting a report on his peace-making efforts to the President. The choice of fabric was deliberate. Within Asante protocol, symbolism carries weight, and selecting the appropriate proverb is essential to conveying intent without causing offense.
At that meeting, President Mahama also announced the government’s decision to earmark $1 billion for infrastructure development in the conflict-affected area; linking the call for peace directly to the possibility of renewed progress in a region where violence has long constrained development.