The Royal Gate of Akwatse We Clan of Abola, who are staking claim to the Abola stool of the Ga state has descended heavily describing and in the process aptly decorated one incorrigible Nii Ahele Nunoo III, who is shamelessly parading himself as Abola Chief, insisting that he is a dubious character self-styling and faking as Abola Chief.
The Abola Akwatste We (Clan) has issued a crystal clear warning to the general public and all likeminded people to desist from dealing with Nii Ahele Nunoo or do so at their own risk.
The Abola Akwatste We (Clan) is claiming legitimacy to the Ga Abola Royal Stool which is currently illegally being occupied by Nii Ahele Nunoo III, who hails from the Nansiedu Clan.
At an all red cladding press conference amidst a charged atmosphere of war songs, held on Wednesday 25th October 2023 at the Traditional House of the Akwatse We Palace located at Akoto Lante in Accra, the elders of Abola Akwatse We (Clan) led by Nii Okai Awuah, Family Spokesperson, who also doubles as the Abola Dzasetse, posited that it is their turn to ascend to the throne since the last Abola Mantse who left the stool as a result of his demise was from the Nansiedu Clan.
The group has also petitioned the Chief Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkonoo over the conduct of the Kumasi High Court Judge Justice Alibaba Abature, who they alleged has misconducted himself, in the same case
By way of background, he explained that the Abola Mantse stool has been the preserve of the Nunoo Dynasty and it is supposed to rotate among the descendants of the three (3) brothers, that is to say; Ahele-Nansedu,Ashirifi -Papawua and Nunoo- Nuacoo ever since their forebearers who migrated from Abura in Central Region settled in Accra.
“The three brothers including their family members arrived in the then Dutch Accra in 1805 along with a Stool and were housed in temporary structures along the beach of Ga Mashie, now known as Abola (corrupted name of Abura).
The exploits of the Abura (Abola) settlers in fishing and other fields were recognized by the then Ga Mantse, Nii Ayikuma Tieku Bah who offered them a descent accommodation around his palace at Abola Piam of the Ga State.
Our forebearers developed the land space around the premises now known as Abola Kpatashie which from time immemorial accommodated the various ruling houses of Abola (Ahele-Nansedu, Ashirifi -Papawua and Nunoo- Nuacoo) .The Ashirifi -Papawua clan has become extinct or their name has been struck out from the stool gates because of their inability to provide a male candidates from their side.
We from the Akwatse We, being the descendants of Nunoo-Nuacoo occupied the Abola Mantse stool for the first time in 1845 with the stool name Nii Kofi Tuadan I. He was succeeded by the descendants of Ahele-Nansedu.
A descendant of the Akwatse We (Nunoo- Nuacoo) Clan re-occupied the stool for the second time in 1958 under the stool name Nii Kofi Tuadan II, who was also succeeded by a descendant of the Ahele-Nansedu Clan, Nii Ahele Nunoo II who passed to eternity in the year 2000.”
He added that after the death of Nii Ahele Nunoo II, both ruling houses planned to organize series of meetings with the understanding of sensitizing all subjects of the Abola stool to be fully involved during the nomination and installation of a successor to the stool without rancor but this objective never materialized.
“The general consensus is that, it is the Akwatse We’s (Nunoo-Nuacoo) turn to enstool an Abola Mantse. The head of the Nunoo and Allied families of Akwatse-We rulling house, abola Kpatashie was in search of a suitable candidate to occupy the vacant Abola stool following the demise of Nii Ahele Nunoo II from the Nansedu rulling House of Abola Kpatashie,” he further explained.
We present to the public full press statement by the Akwatse We Clan putting matters into various defensive perspectives:
PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE AKWATSE WE CLAN OF ABOLA KPATASHIE CHALLENGING THE LEGITIMACY OF NII AHELE NUNOO III AS ABOLA MANTSE.
Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press,We have invited you here this morning to brief you over certain happenings within the Chieftaincy Affairs of the Abola Traditional Council with regards to who qualifies to ascend the Stool as Abola Mantse among the two ruling gates of Abola.
The severity of the issues we are about to raise if not given the needed attention by the powers that be, will not augur well and also breach the seemly peace been enjoyed within the Abola Traditional area and the Ga State as a whole. The Abola Stool as we all know is an integral part of the Ga Traditional Council, and by custom its occupant automatically becomes the Advisor and secretary to the GA Mantse and qualifies to nominate a candidate to occupy the Ga Mantse Stool.
The Abola Mantse stool has been the preserve of the Nunoo Dynasty and it is supposed to rotate among the descendants of the three (3) brothers, that is to say; Ahele-Nansedu,Ashirifi -Papawua and Nunoo- Nuacoo ever since our forebearers who migrated from Abura in Central Region settled in Accra .
The three brothers including their family members arrived in the then Dutch Accra in 1805 along with a Stool and were housed in temporary structures along the beach of Ga Mashie, now known as Abola (corrupted name of Abura). The exploits of the Abura (Abola) settlers in fishing and other fields were recognized by the then Ga Mantse, Nii Ayikuma Tieku Bah who offered them a descent accommodation around his palace at Abola Piam of the Ga State.
Our forebearers developed the land space around the premises now known as Abola Kpatashie which from time immemorial accommodated the various ruling houses of Abola (Ahele-Nansedu,Ashirifi -Papawua and Nunoo- Nuacoo) .The Ashirifi -Papawua clan has become extinct or their name has been struck out from the stool gates because of their inability to provide a male candidates from their side. We from the Akwatse We, being the descendants of Nunoo-Nuacoo occupied the Abola Mantse stool for the first time in 1845 with the stool name Nii Kofi Tuadan I. He was succeeded by the descendants of Ahele-Nansedu.
A descendant of the Akwatse We (Nunoo- Nuacoo) Clan re-occupied the stool for the second time in 1958 under the stool name Nii Kofi Tuadan II, who was also succeeded by a descendant of the Ahele-Nansedu Clan, Nii Ahele Nunoo II who passed to eternity in the year 2000.
The confusion over who qualifies to be the Ga Mantse has existed since the demise of Nii Ahele nunoo II who died in the year 2000, which was followed by several people laying claim to the stool.
After the death of Nii Ahele Nunoo II, both ruling houses planned to organize series of meetings with the understanding of sensitizing all subjects of the Abola stool to be fully involved during the nomination and installation of a successor to the stool without rancor but this objective never materialized.
The general consensus is that, it is the Akwatse We’s (Nunoo-Nuacoo) turn to enstool an Abola Mantse. The head of the Nunoo and Allied families of Akwatse-We rulling house, abola Kpatashie was in search of a suitable candidate to occupy the vacant Abola stool following the demise of Nii Ahele Nunoo II from the Nansedu rulling House of Abola Kpatashie.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press, We taking by surprise when we heared rumours that the Ahele-Nansedu ruling house (same family as the demised Nii Ahele nunoo II) were planning to nominate and confine a candidate who is to be outdoored as an occupant of the vacant Abola stool in succession,that is from a Ahele-Nansedu to another Ahele-Nansedu . After our diligent investigations we found the information to be true and therefore summoned the head of family of the Ahele-Nansedu family,Joseph Nuacoo Nii Nunoo, before the Naeye we ( the court of the Chief Priest of the Ga State) on Wednesday ,19th October 2016 to nullify the action of the Ahele-Nansedu Family as it contravenes the laid down procedure and roadmap instituted to ensure the Rotational system among the two ruling houses is strictly adhered to .
Ladies and Gentlemen, at the Naeye We (Ga traditional Court) the Ahele- Nansedu family pleaded for an out of court settlement since both families were blood relations, a decision which which was concurred by our family Head, Abraham Nii Okai Nunoo. At that instance, the Naaye Wulomo (Chief Priest of the Ga State), cautioned and admonished both parties never to chart the path of other ruling houses and divisions within the Ga state where unnecessary litigation reigns supreme therefore stifling progress and development.
The Ahele -Nansedu Family despite their plea for out of court settlement at the Naaye We, backed down on their plea and never availed themselves for the settlement. In April 2019, our Head of Family (Nunoo and Allied families of Akwatse We rulling house) Nii Okai Nunoo, called on the Registrar of the Naaye-We Arbitration Court to inform him of our intention to revisit the case brought before him, since the out of court settlement expected to regularize the illegalities committed by the Ahele-Nansedu ruling house has broken down after series of meetings at various locations have yielded no fruitful results.
Ladies and Gentlemen, following the breakdown in the Arbitration process as requested and endorsed by the Naaye Wulomo, we the Akwatse We (Nunoo-Nuacoo) proceeded to the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs where the issue was once again referred to arbitration but again there were no consensus due to the intransigence of the Ahele-Nansedu ruling family, the issue as I speak is still pending before the Judicial Committee of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs. Despite series of protests letters and Court suits filed against Nii Ahele Nunoo III and his family (Ahele-Nansedu) to restrain him from carrying himself as the Abola Mantse, they continue to flout it with impunity.
Ladies and Gentlemen from the chronology and sequence as I have stated the next line of claimant to the Abola stool should automatically come from the Akwatse we ruling house (Nunoo-Nuacoo) and not the Ahele-Nansedu side. This we believe any reasonable or right-thinking person from the Abola traditional area will comprehend.
Ladies and Gentlemen, it is our considered view that, the Ahele Nansedu Family is acting in impunity and are emboldened in their actions by the support they receive from powerful people in Government, the Judiciary, and the Ga Traditional Council. For instance, our recent case brought before the High Court in Kumasi presided by Justice Ali Baba Abature, was bizarrely thrown out with the judge overlooking our watertight evidence. We were however not surprised by the ruling by the bizarre ruling by Justice Ali Baba Abature since we have on record a confession by a clerk of his Court purporting that Justice Ali Baba Abature may have acted under “political pressure’ to miscarry justice through the machinations of the former Accra Mayor,Nii Adjiri Blankson who is a Godfather figure to him. According to the Court Clerk the Judge (Justice Ali Baba Abature) had confided in him the influence of the former Accra Mayor on the case, since the outcome of our case will have an impact on the legitimacy of the current Ga Manste, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru whose capacity is being challenged in court. The former Accra Mayor, currently a member of the Council of state is one of the key allies of the Ga Manste and his influence in Ga Chieftaincy matters is an open secret.
This revelation by the Court Clerk has heightened the suspicion of we the Akwatse We Clan, as the influence of the former Accra Mayor on the case brought before the court of Justice Ali Baba Abature cannot be over emphasised. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press if we may recall, Justice Ali Baba Abature, who until his call to the bench was a Public Relations Officer to the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) under the tenure of Adjiri Blankson and therefore you can connect the dots.
The case is currently before the Court of appeal in Kumasi and it is our fear that given the extent of influence the former Accra Mayor have in the current government and also his ability to influence Chieftaincy cases within the Ga Traditional Council through to the Courts with Justice Ali Baba Abature’s bizarre ruling as a test case, justice will once again elude us, as our trust in the judicial process is waning, nevertheless we have petitioned the Judicial Council Chaired by the Venerable Justice to look into the conduct of Justice Ali Baba Abature and his Court Clerk . Copies of the Petition to the Chief Justice will be given to you right after this Conference.
Again, Nii Duodu Nsaki, the Otublohum Mantse who purportedly installed Nii Ahele Nunoo III (Aka Akrashie Nunoo) and fictitiously got him registered on the role of Chiefs is an In-law to him (Nii Ahele Nunoo III). Nii Ahele Nunoo has no capacity to install a Abola Mantse hence the recent installation he conducted for the purported installation of Akrashe Nunoo as Abola Mantse is unacceptable and uncustomary. There are cases pending before the Ga Traditional Council, Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs as well as the High Court in Accra and Kumasi . Moreover, both cases are still active and the Court has not given judgement and any action contrary to what is happening in Court is nothing but “Contempt of Court.”
Nii Ahele Nunoo III (Akrashe Nunoo) is currently holding himself as Abola Mantse with a fictitious gazette, therefore any Installation done to that position of Abola Mantse is null and void and is of no legal and customary consequence. It is an affront to traditional norms, rights, practices, protocols, usages and procedures. It is also suicidal for Akrashe Nunoo to be claiming and holding himself in that capacity.
The rightful Family to select the rightful Abola Mantse is the Akwatse We Family of Abola Kpatashie, and we wish to declare that Nii Kofi Otuadan III from the Abola Akwatse We (Nunoo Nuacoo We) is the proper person to be Abola Mantse and not Nii Ahele Nunoo III (Aka Akrashe Nunoo).
Nii Ahele Nunoo III is only deemed fit to occupy the position of Abola Asafoatse which he is currently occupying. The position of Asafoatse in relation to the Abola Mantse is that it was bestowed on Robert Nii Ayitey-Fio Nunoo,the patriarch and custodian of the Akwatse We Clan in 1896 for exhibiting bravely during the Glover War in 1895-96 ,which resulted in the exile of King Prempeh by the British Government to the Seychelles Island.
Nii Ahele Nunoo, eldest son of Nii Ayiteyfio Nunoo was the first to occupy the position of Abola Asafoatse during the reign of Nii Kofi Tuadan II. He was succeeded by Nii Ahele II during the reign of Nii Ahele II and currently occupied by the disputed Abola Mantse, Nii Ahele III (aka Akrashe Nunoo).
I therefore state on authority that “Nii Ahele Nunoo III a.k.a Akrashe Nunoo is NOT, I repeat, NOT Abola Mantse and all those who transact any business with him in that capacity do so at their own risk.
