The Dzasetse and acting Asere Mantse of the Ga State Council (GTC), Nii Amarkai III, caused endless outburst of hilarity albeit under somber circumstances when he occasionally interlaced his address with expletives during the formal installation of the “new” Ga Mantse, Boni Nii Tackie Adam Latse II on Monday.
Formerly the Ga Traditional Council, the GTC was thrown into a crisis situation over the weekend when the Stool House was raided and a “new” Ga Mantse installed, giving the Traditional Area two occupants to the throne.
With King Tackie Tawiah III who was installed in 2006 still in office, a rival king, Boni Nii Tackie Adama Latse II was enstooled amidst the firing of musketry, drumming and dancing.
Nii Amarkai III, who outdoored the “new” king at a well-attended press conference on Monday, emphatically stated that he had not directed nor instructed any of the four Ga royal families (Teiko Tsuru We, Amugi We, Abola Piam and Takie Kommey We) from which a king is chosen, to elect a prospective ruler, except the Abola Piam family.
“I’ve never in my life given any drink to anybody to install a Ga Mantse for the state. I gave the drink to Abola Piam for them to provide a Ga Mantse and I’m responsible here at this Ga Traditional Council,”… he said.
Waxing extensively on Ga history, the Asere Mantse claimed ownership of most Ga lands eventhough he declared himself to be penurious.
“It’s a government acquired land … acquired from me, Nii Amarkai… I’m the owner of the land… of which even the compensation has not been paid for me to become rich. And I know from today, maybe the Ga Mantse elect will make sure I get my money back for the land,” the Dzasetse prayed.
Sounding a bit breezy at times, Nii Amarkai III who was flanked by all the Wulomei in the Ga State, said to amazement of all how hard hit by poverty he has become.
“I ain’t got no s**t, I took a taxi to this place (to address the press conference),” he said.
He, however, pointed out that though the GTC consists of so many paramount chiefs, he was the official “principal Kingmaker.”
“This land is called Kaneshie (referring to where the GTC was sited) and it’s under me, right under me and not under anybody in Accra. Not under Sempe, not under Otublohum, not under any “g*dd**n s**t”! It’s right under me; Nii Asere,” he asserted.
To him, as long as he remains “landlord” no one can dictate to him how he should go about installing a Ga Mantse.
“I’ve given the mandate to Abola, Gbese to provide me with a tangible person to be installed as a chief… I’ve never raised anybody’s hand that you’re this. I only raised the hand of Gbese Mantse, Nii Ayi Bonte as the acting Ga Mantse… there’s no “b**l s**t” about that,” he stated.
The Dzaasetse then held aloft the hand of the “new” Ga Mantse and proclaimed him king of the Ga state but not before reeling off the following words; “and today, as I sit down here with the press around me, do you want me to raise the hand of the chief that I’ve installed for the Ga State? This is the chief that I’ve installed for the Ga State and nobody else, Nii Tackie Adama Latse II. Do you understand (the meaning of) Latse? Fireman! He’s giving to fire the Ga State…,” Nii Amarkai III stated.
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