The two other claimants to the stool are Ayittey Canada, now deceased, and Dr Kelvin Tackie Abia.
Installation of chief
According to Nii Okang Osiahene IV, the Stool Father of the Abola Piam We, it was the turn of the Abola Piam We to install the Ga Mantse after the demise of Nii Amugi, but it was by-passed by the Nii Teiko Tsuru We, who should have waited for its turn as the third house to install a chief in Ga.
He said all the three claimants to the Ga stool, namely, King Tackie Tawiah II, Boni Nii Tackie Adama Latse II and Dr Tackie Abia were members of the Teiko Tsuru family.
He said the Abola Piam We had to intervene to bring an end to the numerous controversies that had characterised the installation of chiefs in the Ga State.
He expressed the hope that Nii Obli’s installation would resolve the chieftaincy impasse that had lingered on for the past two decades.
Claimants
Nii Osiahene expressed disappointment at what he said was the greed and selfishness of some individuals that had characterised the installation of chiefs in the Ga State.
An attempt to induct Nii Adama Latse as the President of the Ga Traditional Council was fiercely resisted by some factions at the Ga Mantse Palace.
The President of the Ga Traditional Council is the highest position reserved for the Ga Mantse.
However, during the induction ceremony, there were reports of gunshots, as youth groups besieged the palace to either support or prevent the induction ceremony.
But for the quick intervention of the police, the clashes would have been bloody and deadly. There has since been heavy security presence at the palace to prevent a repeat of the induction ceremony.
New Ga Mantse
The kingmakers said Nii Obli’s installation would put to rest the issue of who was the real Ga Mantse.
The new Ga Mantse, 62, is a former head of the Lands Commission in Accra and was later transferred to Tamale. He is now on retirement from the commission.
“No one could hold himself as the Ga Mantse without going through the laid down procedures. He must be accepted by the traditional authorities within the area where that particular person comes from. Then, from there, information and documents will be given to the regional house of chiefs where they will also approve of whatever nomination done by the traditional council,” Nii Osiahene said.
The Ga Paramount Stool has no knowledge of the installation of any new Ga Mantse and Boni Nii Tackie Adama Latse II, who was installed as Ga Mantse on June 11, 2011, has been performing his traditional duties.
A turf battle
The issue of who qualifies to be Ga Mantse has been thorny ever since the demise of Boni Nii Amugi II on December 10, 2004, with several people laying claim to the stool.
According to Ga State tradition, the kingship rotates among four royal houses, namely, Teiko Tsuru We, Amugi We, Abola Piam We and Tackie Kommey We.
It is generally acknowledged that it is the turn of the Abola Piam We to enstool a Ga Mantse.
Ever since Nii Amugi died and was buried in January 2007, the Ga State has been in turmoil over his successor.
The late king was enstooled in 1965 and remained king until his death on December 10, 2004 at the age of 65.
King Tawiah (June, 2006)
On June 11, 2006, King Tackie Tawiah, a royal from the Teiko Tsuru We, was installed as the 20th Ga Mantse to succeed Nii Amugi II.
His installation was followed by a colourful coronation on April 14, 2007.
The coronation survived threats of mayhem and a court injunction after the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs had dismissed an ex parte motion for interim injunction by the acting Head of the Abola Piam We, Joseph Yahaya Addy, against the event.
But that was not the end of what became a running battle over the legitimacy of the great grandson of the famous King Tackie Tawiah I, as his installation sparked a wave of disapproval from some members of the royal household who described him as an illegitimate occupant of the stool.
Under the circumstances, some members of the opposing factions also nominated rival Ga Mantsemei, with the tall list including Nii Tackie Obli II, aka Henry Nii Ayitey Ayitey; Kelvin Nii Tackie and Nii Tackie Adama Latse II, aka George Tackie-Abia.
Some of the aggrieved persons subsequently dragged King Tackie Tawiah to the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs, seeking to dethrone him, but his challengers did not succeed in their action, as he continued to occupy the throne until his death in London in 2013.
Nii Adama Latse (June 2011)
Nii Adama Latse II was installed as Ga Mantse on Saturday, June 11, 2011 to succeed Nii Amugi II.
At the time, his rival, King Tackie Tawiah, was alive and that made the number of occupants of the Ga Stool two.
Nii Latse II was introduced to the people amid the firing of muskets, drumming and dancing.
The Ga Mantse Palace, which, until its seizure, was occupied by King Tackie Tawiah III, was taken over on Friday, June 10, 2011 before Nii Tackie Adama Latse’s installation the following Sunday.
His enstoolment followed threats by the Gbese Mantse, Nii Ayi Bonte II, to enstool a new Ga Mantse by August 2011.
While the battle over his legitimacy traversed the law courts, on April 24, 2015 the National House of Chiefs gazetted him in the National Register of Chiefs as a paramount chief and Ga Mantse and successor to the late Ga Mantse, Nii Amugi II.
Dr Tackie Teiko Tsuru II (August 2015)
While many thought the dust had settled on the Ga chieftaincy issues, a new pot of controversy was opened.
On Sunday, August 2, 2015, Dr Tackie Teiko Tsuru II was enstooled as Ga Mantse by the Dzasetse of the Ga State, Nii Tetteh Kwei II, and heads and elders of the Ga Paramount Stool.
The new chief has largely been out of the limelight, while his rival, Nii Adama Latse, was recognised by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government and even received a visit from former President John Dramani Mahama.
Nii Tackie Oblie II
Another claimant to the Ga Stool, known in private life as Ayitey Canada, passed away last year.
He died in Accra on October 7, 2016 after he reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest.
Court rules
Meanwhile, on June 16, last year, the Kumasi High Court dismissed an application for an order of mandamus and judicial review brought against the National House of Chiefs by Dr Nii Tetteh Kwei II that contested the insertion of Nii Adama Latse II as the Ga Mantse in its register.
The court held that the act of insertion by the National House of Chiefs was an administrative act, not a judicial one.
It further ruled that the name of King Adama Latse be maintained in the register as the Ga Mantse until the case pending before the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs was disposed of.