The Subin River, Asante Heritage, and the Risks of Relocating the Kumasi Zoo
The ongoing debate about relocating the Kumasi Zoological Gardens from its central location to the city’s periphery has raised fundamental questions—not just about urban planning, but about the preservation of history, ecology, and culture. Beyond the surface-level arguments of congestion and real estate development lies a deeper truth: the relocation of the zoo could jeopardize not only Kumasi’s ecological balance but also the very essence of its heritage, embodied in the Subin River and centuries of Asante civilization.
A River with a Soul
Flowing beneath the green canopies of the Kumasi Zoo is the historic Subin River—a sacred and life-sustaining waterway whose cultural, ecological, and spiritual value cannot be overstated. More than just a stream, Subin is a living archive of Asante cosmology and identity. The zoo’s location has helped protect its source and kept the encroaching tide of concrete at bay. To relocate the zoo would be to unearth this natural barrier, exposing the river to pollution, depletion, and eventual erasure.
The Source of Liberation
The Kumasi Zoo is not only a sanctuary for biodiversity—it is a political landmark. It was at the very source of the Subin River, within the quietude of the zoo, that the National Liberation Movement (NLM) was launched. The NLM, a historic political force in Ghana’s path to democratic evolution, chose this sacred ground as a symbol of both renewal and resistance. Removing the zoo dishonors this legacy, burying a vital moment of Ghanaian self-determination beneath asphalt and commercial ambition.
From Living Heritage to Concrete Jungle
Replacing the zoo with development risks more than trees and animals—it endangers the ecological rhythm of central Kumasi. Urban green spaces like the Kumasi Zoo provide oxygen, mitigate heat, serve as climate buffers, and anchor the memory of place. If replaced by commercial structures, Kumasi may gain buildings but lose its soul.
The Future We Must Choose
The Subin River is more than water. The zoo is more than a park. Together, they represent a living connection to the past, a sanctuary in the present, and a commitment to a sustainable future. To relocate the Kumasi Zoo is to risk losing this trinity of nature, culture, and memory—something no city can afford.
Let us heed the call of heritage, ecology, and wisdom. Let the Kumasi Zoo remain where it has always belonged: in the green heart of the Garden City.
By: Yaw Adu-Gyamfi
Yaw is the Chairperson for the Ghana Hubs Network, an association of neqrly 100 innovation, technnology and business hubs in Ghana. He is also the co-founder for the Kumasi based Centre for Social Innovations (CSI) leveraging assets based and design thinking to address sustainability challenges and an Asante Diplomacy Historian. He can be reached via yaw@csighana.org
