Modernizing Royals and Capitalists of Kumase

Abstract British imperialism bequeathed sports to former colonies. In the immediate postwar period, colonial bureaucrats intensified the modernization agenda in many of their colonial territories. The institution of horse racing was associated with the upper echelons of society in many colonies. In colonial Asante, the royals and capitalists of Kumase established the Ashanti Turf Club as the first public limited liability company in the history of horse racing in Ghana. Horse racing in Kumase started with the active encouragement and patronage of the king of Asante (Asantehene). The Kumase royals and capitalists embraced the middle-class culture and bought shares in the Turf Club. The practice of betting linked the working-class to racing. Horse racing played a significant social role in Asante society by keeping residents entertained at the weekends. This article examines the Ashanti Turf Club Limited within the context of the modernization of postwar Asante. It shows how the history of horse racing in Kumase provides a lens to understand how Africans embraced middle-class culture and colonial modernity.