Final funeral rites of Ga Mantse completed

Accra, Jan. 27, GNA - Funeral rites for Boni Nii Amugi II, Ga Mantse, was successfully completed at the Ga Mantse Palace on Saturday with the blood covered casket of the King taken round the various Chiefs and Government representatives gathered to bid him farewell. The performance of customary rites was at its best as the kingmakers slaughtered a bull and sprinkled the blood on the sea blue casket containing the mortal remains of the King amidst musketry. From the Palace, the casket of Nii Amugi II was placed in a well decorated black hearse ready to be driven to the seven paramount stool houses of the Ga State and then to Pobiman, near Pokoase where he would finally be laid to rest at midnight.
Thousands of mourners, clad in red and black, and Asafoatsemei and Asafoanyemei (Warriors) of the various clans, clad in smocks, followed the hearse.
Present at the funeral included Government officials, representatives of the various political parties, religious and youth groups, Chiefs and Queen-Mothers family members and sympathisers. The solemn ceremony was nearly marred when an irate mob charged on Mr Stanley Nii Adjiri Blankson, Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive, for passing a comment which did not go down well with them.
Tempers were calmed, however, when Professor John Evans Atta, Flag Bearer of the National Democratic Congress for Election 2008 shook hands with Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama as he left the funeral grounds, since it depicted peace and unity.
Representatives of the Government; Former President Rawlings; representatives of the Ga Traditional Council; National House of Chiefs; Ga Dangme Council, Religious bodies the Widow, Mrs Josephine Yartey and the eight children of the Nii Amugi II read tributes in his honour. The Very Reverend Jehoshaphat Attey Oquaye, Dean Emeritus of the Anglican Diocese of Accra, who prayed for the King, said the world was facing treacherous times in which peace and harmony had almost eluded her.
He said peace could only be achieved in an atmosphere of justice and tolerance and called on the kingmakers to choose a successor according to the accepted procedures to ensure peace and security in the Ga State and the country at large.
Nii Amugi II, known in private life as Simon Nii Yarboi Yartey was born on June 8, 1940 to Mr Samuel Nii Ofoli Yartey and Madam Elizabeth Naa Afi Torgbor of Amugi We and Sakumo Tsoshishi, respectively. He was the youngest man, who ever occupied 93Abettsi Afadi", the ancestral sacred stool of Nii Okai Koi when he was enstooled on March 20 1965. He reigned for 39 years and was one of the few Traditional Rulers, whose reign spanned all the Heads of State of Ghana. 27 Jan. 07