Teshie Installs New Mankralo

The Teshie Krobo Djaase, chiefs and elders of the Teshie Traditional Area have installed Tsitsi-tse Nii Klu-Din Okang Nmashie IV as their new Mankralo.

Known in private life as Benjamin Nii Nmai Sam-Sowah, the new Mankralo, who is 48 years old has spent much of his life in his home town, identifying with and applying himself to the development of his people.

This has afforded him the opportunity to become very conversant with their aspirations, potentials and challenges.

In a book entitled: ' Teshie Administrative and Cultural Practices', co-authored by three eminent citizens of Teshie, namely Prof. E. Ago Kwei, a Former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Pioneer Food Canery; Hon. E. Adzei Anang, who has twice been elected Greater Accra Regional Representative on the Council of State in the late President Mills and the current President Mahama administrations; Prof. T. Adjei Bekoe, Chairman of the Council of State in former President Kufuor's administration and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana; states 'The Mankralo is the custodian landlord. He owns all the land at Teshie. Hence, whenever there is any lawsuit, it is he alone who defends it in the court of law.

He brought all customary rites from La, for example Homowo, hence he is the custodian of all the customs and ensures their observance. He installs the Mantse and sees to it that all customs are observed'.

Nii Klu-Din Okang Nmashie IV, who hails from Nii Klu-Din We Royal gate, has both parents coming from royal lineages in Teshie.

He is the 13 th Mankralo and paternally a 7 th generation descendant of Nii OkangNmashie I, the first Mankralo and founder of Teshie, which was originally known as Okang-man. He succeeds Nii Adjei OtswemahNmashie III, who joined their ancestors three years ago.

The newly installed Mankralo, who led a delegation of some of his subjects to the office of The Chronicle on Tuesday, said his main focus is the development the Teshie area.

Tsitsi-tse Nii Klu-Din Okang Nmashie IV was quick to add that his vision is to bring about human resource and infrastructural development to Teshie.

This, he believes, can only be achieved through the mobilization of all interest groups within the town through a well-structured administration to meet the aspirations of his people, especially the youth.

When asked about who his role model is, he said he draws a lot of inspiration from Hon. Emmanuel Adzei Anang and Prof. T. Adjei Bekoe.

He reiterated that unlike many of the elite who hail from Teshie, these two noble men have spent much of their time working together for the advancement of their people without allowing their different political orientations to stand in their way, though they are no minnows in their respective political parties.

He is described by friends as a man with a heart of lion with which he fiercely fights against injustice and oppression, at the same time has the heart of a dove with which he promotes peace and unity for the advancement of humanity where ever he finds himself. He is able to exhibit these attributes through his unshakable faith in the Word of God.

Nii Okang Nmashie is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Marketing Ghana. He is a Marketing Consultant and a Biomedical Scientist. He has attended many workshops and seminars on child welfare, HIV/AIDS, entrepreneurship, financial reporting and many others.

He was the Vice-President of the Ghana Medical Laboratory Students Association (GMLSA) and for that matter an Executive Member of the Ghana Health Student Association (GHASA) in 1987.

He founded Youth With A Vision International, an NGO in 1997, to care for the needy. In 2003 he picked fifty children from the beaches of Teshie and enrolled them in schools.

Their mothers were trained in good business practices and provided with micro-credit to enable them take good care of their children.