Akans came from the sahel. We weren’t an offshoot of the mande though, just lived under their empire. We migrated south to avoid converting to Islam when the almoravids invaded the Ghana Empire. That’s actually why we were named Ghana (even though all Ghanaians aren’t Akan) lol
Shyt is crazy tho because if you read some of the accounts on ancient Ghana, there are parallels between it and Akan culture.
Its not Akan, its a very smaller Tribe. Cause I was watching something on Mendes from Salone. And some breh from post a comment how a group in Ghana speaks a similar Language and their elders say their ancestors came from Mali in the 17th Century.