The kingmakers and principal elders of the Gbese Stool wish to correct the erroneous impression in the minds of the public and to set the records straight in reference to Page 10 of the Daily Graphic publication of June 27, 2016 with the headline, “Nii Okaidja III is Gbese Mantse”.

The kingmakers and principal elders wish the general public to know without any ambiguity that Bill Okaidja Annan (aka Okaidja III) can never be under any circumstances nominated, selected and installed as Gbese Mantse in the history of the Gbese Stool.

We, therefore, categorically reject outright the publication as unacceptable, malicious, libellous, and an insult to the intelligence of the principal kingmakers and elders, the good people of the Gbese State and the entire Ga State.

Bill Annan should know that the media war that he is waging would not help him in any manner whatsoever because his blemished track record is that whenever Homowo festival and its festivities are approaching, he re-ignites and intensifies his war of propaganda and deception into the public domain.

Bill Annan should rather join his people at Gbese and assist in the developmental processes going on. Again, Bill Annan must know that he has not been routed through the rudiments of confinement processes and other customary rites demanded from a properly enstooled chief.

With the so-called Gbese Stool Secretary, Emmanuel Aryee, he is not known even in the Gbese traditional circles, and even by the Gbese kingmakers and principal elders; and that he is a hired personal writer of Bill Okaidja Annan, who writes falsehood and spread propaganda to prop up and support the diabolical and over-ambitious plans of Bill Annan in parading himself as Gbese Mantse, of which he is not and cannot, and even be a Gbese Mantse.

The basis of our rejection of the article written of and concerning Nii Ayi-Bonte II are two folds:

The certified copy judgement dated November 7, 2014 by Mr Justice Boon in Suit No. C10/26/2014 in the High Court, Kumasi entitled:

The Republic vs National House of Chiefs – Respondent, Ex Parte Nii Ayi-Bonte II – Applicant, (Nii Okaidja III) – Interested Party.

This judgement showed how, by clandestine and surreptitious means, Nii Okaidja and his lawyer, Mr Ayikoi Otoo, persuaded the National House of Chiefs (the statutory body responsible for the gazetting of Chiefs in the National Register of Chiefs) falsely and unlawfully deleted Nii Ayi-Bonte’s name from the National Register of Chiefs.

The photocopy of the letter of the National House of Chiefs’ Registrar Essien – dated February 19, 2015 confirming with actual proof of due compliance with the judge’s order to restore Nii Ayi-Bonte’s name as Gbese Mantse to the National Register of Chiefs, with copy to Nii Okaidja, c/o his lawyer, Mr Ayikoi Otoo.

Only gazetted Gbese Mantse

The kingmakers and principal elders of the Gbese Stool state further that NII AYI-BONTE is the ONE and ONLY gazetted Gbese Mantse, and no other person, including, above all, Bill Okaidja Annan (aka Nii Okaidja), can be lawfully recognised as Gbese Mantse and Ga Adonten.

Consequently, we advise that the National Media Commission takes note of this development and warn the MEDIA and their personnel to abide by the ethics of the profession in order to bring fairness and equity to NII AYI-BONTE because the publication was made without contacting him for his version.

We have observed over the years that prior to the performance of any customary function associated with the Gbese Stool, Emmanuel Aryee whose status is unknown, with the support of some sections of the media, will deliberately put out falsehood to create a sense of insecurity. Sounding repetitive with recycled falsehood, the writer has tried without success to create a sense of insecurity in the Gbese area.

For the records of the media and the general public, we wish to say that Nii Ayi-Bonte was properly elected, nominated and enstooled as the Gbese Mantse under the stool name Nii Ayi-Bonte II, the successor to the late Nii Okai Pesemaku III (1959-1978), the illustrious Chief of Gbese.

It is trite knowledge in the Ga Mashi custom, usages and practices that a Chief (especially of Gbese) is enstooled by the Dzasetse, who is the principal kingmaker. The unchallenged Principal Kingmaker is Nii Okai Kasablofo IV, before whom he swore the traditional oath of allegiance at Gbese Blohum on April 27, 2007.

It is also a fact that Nii Ayi-Bonte became a member of the Ga Traditional Council having been formally introduced to the Council by Nii Okai Kasablofo.

Inducted into Ga Traditional Council

The Council, having been satisfied with due process, then inducted Nii Ayi-Bonte into the membership of the Ga Traditional Council. Let it be known to all men that he was properly gazetted (No.550) as a chief and the successor to the late Nii Okai Pesemaku. His induction as a member was not through political patronage, ruses and stratagem.

We can appreciate the frustrations of Bill Okaidja Annan, who the said Emmanuel Aryee is seeking to market to the world. Never in the history of Gbese has a chief adopted his own name as his stool name as Okaidja has done. Contrary to the wild allegations that Nii Ayi-Bonte is not a Ga and does not hail from Gbese, he was born to Emmanuel Ayitey Okai of Gbese and Charlotte Kwamah Ankrah of Otublohum, both Gas and of blessed memory.

As to why the said writer proclaims through his writings that our chief is not a Ga is difficult to fathom and can only be uttered out of a skewed mouth in an attempt to tarnish his image. His late father Emmanuel Ayitey Okai from Akwetey Krobo Saki We is a nephew to the late Nii Ayi-Bonte I, the Gbese Mantse (1911-1940).

The writer’s allusion that no Court has jurisdiction to enstool a chief is not debatable. Yet, the same writer claims Nii Okaidja Annan was made a chief by a Court of law. Is that not a contradiction that in his attempt to sell his sponsor he resorts to twisted logic? Nii Ayi-Bonte was not made a chief by a Court but by the kingmakers of Gbese, confined at the appropriate stool house (Nii Arday Akwa We) and swore the oath of allegiance to the kingmakers and the people of Gbese at Gbese Blohum on April 27, 2007.

Gazette process

To claim that his gazetting was procured by fraud, the writer has insulted the intelligence of the membership of the National House of Chiefs. It goes without saying that the members of the National House of Chiefs are noble achievers, whose records are acknowledged and respected.

We cannot claim to be lawyers so will not navigate the water of legalese but our stool lawyer is capable of handling the aspect of the write-up which seeks to impugn his integrity and professional competence. Is it not curious that Bill Annan has not performed any of the mandatory duties of the Gbese Stool? Nii Ayi-Bonte has done so without any inhibition for nine uninterrupted years.

If the father of Nii Ayi-Bonte is the nephew of Mantse Ayi-Bonte (1911-1940) and the mother is also a Ga, we are unable to appreciate the contention that he is not a Ga. Is it not strange that the Bill Annan, a son of a Sierra Leonean (called Madam Titi), will claim the kingship of Gbese with adulterated blood?

For all who care to know, in private life he is known as Thomas Niifio Okai Okai and was named Niifio after the brother of Nii Ayi-Bonte I.

As elders of the Gbese Stool, we wish to advise the media to refer all matters for publication affecting the Gbese Stool to our office at the Gbese Palace to enable them to inform the general public accordingly and to avoid needless conflict.

Nii Ayi Ardayfio II

(Gbese Akwashongtse)

For and on behalf of the Gbese Djase Council