I’ll abdicate throne if I’m not the legitimate person - Gbese Manste

Gbese Manste, Nii Ayi Bonte, has again vowed to give up the stool if Nii Okaija III is able to produce valid and historical documents to support the assertion that he [Nii Ayi Bonte] is not the legitimate person to ascend to the Gbese Royal throne.

This was disclosed by Nii Okaija III at a media briefing at the weekend in Accra.

According to him, Nii Ayi Bonte made the statement when he was invited to a meeting by the Greater Accra Regional Security Council (RESEC) last week.

The meeting, which was chaired by the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr. Ishmael Ashitey, was attended by the traditional heads of Ga State, chiefs and queenmothers, personnel of the Ghana Police Service, Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and National Security officials.

According to Nii Okaija III, who doubles as the Adonten of the Ga State, the latest statement which he described as a ‘taboo’ was the second time Nii Ayi Bonte had made such a vow to abdicate the Gbese throne.

Nii Okaija III who mocked Nii Ayi Bonte over his recent statement opined that the elders and kingmakers of Gbese were working around the clock to ensure that Nii Ayi Bonte honours his latest vow made at the REGSEC meeting.

He mentioned that plans were far-advanced to submit documents based on historical antecedence of the Gbese Royal Stool to the Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs and the Greater Accra Regional Minister as demanded by Nii Ayi Bonte to enable them set the records straight to end the over 27 years chieftaincy dispute.

Nii Okaija III told the media that there was a specific matter pending at the Regional House of Chiefs, Dodowa, Accra filed by three the heads of the Royal Houses of Gbese in this regard claiming that Thomas Okine, aka Nii Ayi Bonte, does not hail from any of the royal houses.

According to Nii Okaija III, a default judgment given by the re-constituted Ga Traditional Council which declared Nii Ayi Bonte as the Gbese Mantse has been set aside in suit No. BMSC 532/2015 dated 22nd April, 2015 presided over by His Lordship Asuman-Adu.

He noted that no appeal has been filed against the said ruling therefore, Thomas Okine “is not and cannot claim to be the Gbese Mantse since no court of competent jurisdiction has declared Thomas Okine as Gbese Mantse.

He described Nii Ayi Bonte’s current position as contempt of court; per the restraining order GTC/JC6/2008 dated 8/8/08.

It would be recalled that few days to the 2016 general elections, an emotionally charged Nii Ayi Bonte II was seen at a public function largely attended by members of the immediate past National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration, vowing to abdicate the stool if the then opposition candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, (now the President) was voted as President of Ghana.

When the baton changed and the opposition candidate won, Gbese kingmakers organised a press conference and gave Nii Ayi Bonte an ultimatum to renounce the stool or face their wrath.

According to them, Nii Ayi Bonte’s statement prior to the election was against the constitution of Ghana and the Code of Ethics for Chiefs.