Tables turn in James Town Chieftaincy Saga

The recent Jamestown chieftaincy problems have taken a new twist as the person arrested by the Accra Regional Police Command has turned out to obtain majority support by the Alata Ngleshie Traditional Council, as the rightful claimant to the paramount stool.

Investigations conducted by Today, following the arrest of Nii Ahuma Kojo III, Ngleshe Alata Mantse (known in private life as Edward Nii Adjiri Solomon) on Saturday, 10th February, 2018, showed that he is from the Nii Ahuma Kodjo Royal Family and has their tacit support to claim the paramountcy.

It will be recalled that Oblempong Nii Kodjo Ababio V, the late Paramount Chief of Ngleshie Alata (known popularly in the olden days as British Accra), passed away on the 22nd of December, 2017 after ruling for thirty-nine (39) years, after which a faction emerged and enstooled one Prince William Asharku Bruce-Quaye, on Friday, February 1, 2018, to be the successor to the departed chief.

Following after this enstoolment, the Nii Ahuma Kodjo Royal family selected Edward Adjiri Solomon as their claimant, since they believed that the departed ruler had requested them openly at a special meeting at the council to prepare a successor to the throne, since it would be their turn after he had gone to be with the ancestors.

Customarily, the nominee was housed in the traditional family home at Korlegonno, in preparation when the regional police command, raided the house and took him to custody until Monday, February 12, 2018 when he was granted bail.

It was furthermore alleged that the nominee was an imposter and a notorious land-guard, which prompted this paper to further investigate the audacity for a land-guard to lay claims to such a high office of the Ga-Dangme people.

Our investigations revealed to the contrary that Nii Ahuma Kodjo III is a real estate businessman with investments at Kasoa, Mamprobi, Dansoman, Korlegonno and also an 18-room hotel at Kasoa, in the Central Region.

Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs has 13 Paramountcies namely Ada, Ningo, Kpone, Shai, Osudoku, Tema, Teshie, La, Osu, Nungua, Ga and Alata Ngleshie Traditional Area.

Alata Ngleshie Traditional Area stretches from Jamestown all the way to Lanma, near Kasoa and comprise over ninety-nine (99) settlements, including Aplaku, Oshiyiee, Kokrobite, Amanfrom, Tuuba, Kofe, Weija, Domeabra, Ashalaja, Tetegu etc.

The investigation also uncovered that of the listed elders who were said to have backed the enstoolment of Prince Bruce-Quaye only the Adenta Mantse, Nii Ayikwei, whom the Ahuma family believes, must have been misled to give his support to their claim, since he rarely stays in the country, is a gazetted chief.

Additionally, it also came to light when the sister of Prince William Bruce-Quaye was contacted on the legitimacy of his brother’s claim, she said that their father was a priest (wulomo) and was never a chief, hence his descendants could not lay claims to the stool.

It also came to light that the first claimant engaged in prolonged litigation with the late chief for nor permitting him to be called Nii Kweikuma, as the former always said that he made the father of the claimant, his priest and not a chief in any sense.