The mortal remains of the only legitimate Gbese Mantse and Adoten of the Ga State, Nii Okaidja III, who has the full backing of all three Royal Ruling Houses of Gbese, would be finally buried on Saturday November 14, 2020.
The final arrangement for the burial of the late Nii Okaidja III was announced by the Ga Mantse and elders of the Ga State including all Heads of Families of the Royal Ruling Houses of Gbese, after an Accra High Court (General Jurisdiction One), on the third floor of the High Court Office Complex overthrew the contempt suit filed by Mr Tommy Okine aka Nii Ayi Bonte II against the Head of the Nii Tetteh Ankamah We family, Nii Tetteh Ankamah III, restraining him and others not to bury the late Nii Okaija III with the chieftaincy title of “legitimately installed but not gazetted Gbese Mantse and Adonten of the Ga State.”
The contempt suit filed by Nii Ayi Bonte II, the rival Gbese chief of the late Nii Okaidja III, has prevented the elders of Nii Tetteh Ankamah We, the second Royal Ruling House of Gbese Stool and the entire principal kingmakers and accredited elders of Gbese Royal Stool, to perform the final burial rites for the late Nii Okaija III which was scheduled to be held on November 9, 2019.
Nii Okaija III died on Tuesday January 1, 2019 in London after a short illness. The late Nii Dr. Okaidja IlI who was a retired UK-based Ghanaian Presiding Justice was enstooled on Sunday October 8, 2006, reigned for eleven (11) years and died at the age of 78 years.
Nii Dr Okaidja III succeeds the late Gbese Mantse, Nii Agbofu II who died somewhere in 2002 and after four and a half years, was buried before Nii Okadija was installed as Gbese Mantse and Adonten of the Ga State. His enstoolment was legitimately done in peace and in line with Ga traditions and customs under the Chieftaincy Act and the Gbese 1941 Agreement.
However, the ruling of the court on Wednesday January 22, 2020 to throw out the suit of Nii Ayi Bonte II has ended a long legal battle between Nii Okaija III and Tommy Okine aka Nii Ayi Bonte II over who is the legitimate Gbese Mantse and Adonten of the Ga State.
The ruling which has also given the legal backing to the elders to proceed to officially announce the forthcoming final date for Nii Okaidja III to be buried to join his ancestors.
The traditional and customary final funeral rites and interment of Nii Okaidja IlI was scheduled to take off as follows: –
A book of Condolence will be opened from tomorrow, 11th November 2020 at Nii Tetteh Ankamah We, Gbese
Friday 13th November 2020: Wake keeping at Nii Tetteh Ankamah We, the Second Royal Ruling House of Gbese
Saturday 14th November 2020: Burial and Thanksgiving Service at the Fore Court of the new Accra Metropolitan Assembly Building, adjacent to the Octagon Building and near the Tema Station, Accra at 10.00 am prompt.
Interment is Private
Funeral Rites: It follows immediately at the same Fore Court of the new Accra Metropolitan Assembly Building, adjacent to the Octagon Building and near the Tema Station, Accra.
Sunday 15th November 2020: Memorial and Thanksgiving Service at the Cathedral Church of the Most Holy Trinity, Attah-Mills High Street, Accra at 10.00 am.
Continuation of Funeral Rites Immediately after the Thanksgiving Service: At his residence, H/No. 5 Asafotu Close, North Odorkor, Accra (Close to Ateco Technical School on the Odorkor side of the Awoshie Traffic Light Junction)
The family members of the Nii Okaidja III stressed the urgent need for national security protection of lives and properties of the public, saying that they had the hint that some disgruntled and self-seeking elders and youth from the other feuding party are planning to stop the processes of the final funeral activities.
Profile of the late Nii Okaidja III
Born in Accra and christened Bill Okaidja Annan, he attended Government Boy’s School then Odorgonno Secondary School.
In 1966, he left Accra for London where, among other courses, he read law (B.A) at Ealing College, London. He then read Industrial relations and Industrial Law at the Open University and soon after, read International Relations at Ruskin College, Oxford.
He worked as a consultant in Industrial Law and Industrial Relations both in private as well as with corporate organizations.
In 1987, he was appointed a Magistrate for the Inner London Circuit; sitting at Bow Streety Marylebone and Horseferry Road Magistrates Courts (now City of London Courts). He retired as a Presiding Justice.
