History was made at Gua We, Asεrε on Saturday 2nd July 2011, when the 15 member Djaase Council from the three Royal Households namely; Kpakpa Kakadaan We, Kpakpa Fio We and Kpakpa Blofonyo We in consultation with the Principal Head of the Family Alhaji Kasim Kwatelai Quartey nominated, approved, confined, consecrated, enstooled and out-doored a new Djaasetse stool named Nii Kwaatei Ole Mla I to steer the affairs of the family.
This became necessary as a result of the absence of a Djaase Council and Djaasetse for over a century or more to guide the family in the nomination and installation of a successor and occupant to the Gua war stool and also to the office of the Ga State Akwashon Mantse as Ga customs, traditions and usage demands of the Kpakpatse We Royal Family. The Kpakpatse We Royal Family is a sub-quarter or lineage of Asεrε, which controls the office of the Ga State Akwashon Mantse for the administration of the Ga Mashie community and the Ga State as a whole.
Indeed, since the demise of the Ga State Akwashon Mantsemei T.R. Quartey aka Chichiwachi of blessed memory who reigned from 1906-1954 and Oyotse Kwatei from 1955-1961, the Gua war stool which then became vacant was occupied by the late R. K. M. Quartey aka Asuasa (died in 1997), who in his capacity as the Principal Head of the family, acted as the Ga State Akwashon Mantse for a period of thirty-six years. As a result, the laid down procedure and rules of rotation for the succession to the office of the Ga State Akwashon Mantse and occupancy of the Gua war stool among the three recognized Royal Households of Kpakpatse We Royal Family were ignored for all these years.
To rectify this anomaly, a prospective candidate from Kpakpa Blofonyo We was nominated, confined and consecrated without the consent and approval of the then acting Ga State Akwashon Mantse R. K. M. Quartey. This led to an internal conflict, wrangling and opposition from the then regent Asuasa because the current Ga State Akwashon Mantse Nii Owula Kpakpa Blofonyo II known in private life as Benjamin Bamidele William Quartey was not a royal of the family.
However, due to intervention by some elders from the Asεrε quarters of the Ga Mashie community especially, the Shippi, Asafoiatsemei, the late Oblo Afia the then Gua Wonyo and others led to the settlement of this impasse, before the installation and investiture of Benjamin Bamidele William Quartey as the current Ga State Akwashon Mantse; whose regime has witnessed numerous chieftaincy disputes in the Ga Mashie community and the Ga State even, presently.
To forestall the re-occurrence of such conflicts in future, the nomination and approval of the prospective candidate for the vacant position of Djaasetse by the Head of Kpakpa Fio We, the Principal Head of Family and members of the Djaase Council which begun in May this year reached its climax at 6.00 pm on Thursday, June 30th 2011. On this memorable day, the Nii Djaase to be was “ambushed and captured” (as expressed in the local parlance) by the Asafomlinbii (Asafo Company) of Kpakpatse We Royal Family led by Asafoiatse Kwatelai, Awon Kwaley of the Ghana Fire Service, Awon Kwarley Bibio aka Kwarley Cutex, Awon Oblo Afia aka Nii Gua, and other ritualists amidst jubilation and firing of musketry to signify the success of their mission.
The rituals for the confinement of the new Djaasetse began when a sheep was slaughtered upon the arrival of the Asafomlinbii (Asafo Company) with their “captive” at Gua We (Stool House) according to Ga customs, practice and usage. However, Nii Djaase being a Christian of the Roman Catholic Faith was anointed with holy oil by Pastor Nii Kwatei Owoo of the Rejected Stone Church International instead of being sprinkled with the sheep’s blood before his confinement in the stool room where he was taught his roles and functions as Djaasetse of the family.
The dawn of Saturday July 4th, ushered in the consecration ceremony at the James Town beach where the confined Djaasetse assisted by the religious officiants of the family had a spiritual bath in the sea to cleanse him of all impurities. This was to purify, fortify and to prepare him spiritually for both his new office and status in private as well as public life. Nii Djaase was finally out-doored and presented to the Ga Mashie community as the newly installed Djaasetse of the Kpakpatse We Royal Family of Asεrε.
To crown this all important and historical occasion, the investiture ceremony of the newly enstooled Djaasetse of Kpakpatse We Royal Family took place at the fore court of Pepeepe We, the Palace of the Ga State Akwashon Mantse on Saturday 9th July at 1.30 pm amidst the throbbing of the Obonu (Fontomfon drums), firing of muskets and merry making. At exactly 10.00 am, Nii Djaase swore oath of office and allegiance to the Principal Head of Family Alhaji Kasim Kwatelai Quartey and the entire Djaase Council in the presence of Nii Amarkai III, the Asεrε Djaasetse/acting Asεrε Mantse at Gua We.
In his inaugural speech, the Djaasetse Nii Kwaatei Ole Mla I known in private life as Nii John Quartey; the Chief Executive Officer of Pegasus Security Company indicated that the various chieftaincy disputes that has bedeviled the Ga state is a source of worry to him and therefore, is ready to assist in finding lasting solutions to these disputes should the Ga Traditional Council and other stakeholders call upon him.
He also appealed to people from other ethnic groups residing in the Ga Mashie community and the Ga State to tolerate and respect the customs and traditions of the Ga-speaking people, because as individuals or persons they also have customs and traditions that govern them in their respective hamlets, communities, villages, towns and cities across the country. He further appealed to the government through the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to ensure that Accra and its environs are rid of filth.
This he noted, breeds mosquitoes, flies, etc, which results in sicknesses such as malaria, cholera and other allied diseases. The effect of which he believes is the high cost of drugs importations for the treatment and cure of these preventable diseases that are a drain on the national economy, as well as waste of our scarce human resources through premature deaths.
Besides, he called upon the various market queens to ensure that the markets in the city are kept clean so as prevent their customers from contacting any form of sickness from the products they buy from them and also to have value for money. Finally, he admonished the people of the Ga Mashie community to invest in the education of their children and wards so that they may not be a burden to society in future , but rather, become assets to the Ga State and the Nation as a whole.
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