Despite an injunction, the funeral organisers for the late Ga Manye, Naa Dedei Omaedru III, said they will hold the event on Saturday.
The funeral was previously halted due to an injunction obtained by some interested parties. The funeral organisers were ordered not to hold the funeral for the following 10 days.
The plaintiffs in the case are: Nuumo Emmanuel T. Antia We, Head of the Antie We of Kpone, Nii Addey Oba-Aasaa II, Ankobea of Antie We of Kpone, Shippi Antie I, Saduase Shippi Kpone, Charles Nii Kotey Kotey, Head of Naa Dedei Omaedru We Family of Faase, Accra, Asafoatse Nii Kotey Ga II, Oseahene of Ga Manye Stool and Principal Elder of the Naa Dedei Omaedru We of Faase Accra, Michael Nii Ofei Danso of unnumbered House Accra, Principal Elder of Naa Dedei Omaedru We of Faase Accra and Naa Yomofio, Linguist of Ga Manye Naa Dedei Omaedru We.
However, in an interview with Eyewitness News, Nii Ayikoi Otoo, a member of the funeral planning committee and the Ga Adangbe Council President, indicated unequivocally that the burial will go on as scheduled since they had not been served with the court paperwork.
He feels the organisers cannot be sued because they were appointed to organise the burial and insisted on holding it at the Ga Mantse Palace.
“We don’t know anything about the injunction. These days, lots of things happen on social media. There may be things going around on social media, but I don’t think that as of now anybody has been served. I’m a member of the funeral committee, I have not been served with anything. We haven’t seen anything, so we don’t even know the extent of that order. What is it about? Is the Ga Traditional Council named as a party to the defendants?”
Who do you sue if I assign you work as a subcommittee or designate you as an agent and you have a problem? Is it my fault or the agent’s? Why is the Council not present? Is that a funeral for the late Queen Mother’s remains? The injunction states unequivocally that it is about the body; you wait and see what occurs. We’ll deal with it when they serve us,” he told Umaru Amadu Sanda on Eyewitness News.
Nii Ayikoi Otoo emphasised the large number of traditional leaders and dignitaries who will be present to grieve with the Ga Traditional Council.
“Saturday is the funeral day. We will have the burial service from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Afterwards, we will hand over the coffin to the Asafoatsemei to parade through the principal streets. And in the evening, we will have a private burial. These days, even those who are not royals are given private burials. How much more the late queen who was a royal?”
“It will be a grand funeral. We have invited all the important chiefs of Ghana: the Asantene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Akyem, Kwahu, Yendi Yaa Naa, and Bolga Naa Ba. I mean every important paramount chief that you can think of. And they have all pledged that they will be here in person. The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, will also be here, Ministers of State. It’s going to be huge. The funeral will happen at the Ga Mantse’s Palace,” he emphasized.
He urged individuals living in and selling in the Greater Accra Region’s Central Business District to respect the burial day by closing their stores, schools, and offices.
Naa Dedei Omaedru III, Ga Manye, died in December 2022.
On June 19, 2023, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo signed and inaugurated a book of condolences.
