The Gbese Mantse, Nii Okaidja Adamafio, has damned what for him is the lawlessness on the part of the Greater Accra Regional Security Council, under the headship of the Regional Minister, following their breaching of the order that this year's Homowo festival should not be extended to the limits. According to him, there is ample evidence that on Saturday, a certain Tommy Okine, who an Accra Court has ordered not to hold himself as a Gbese Mantse went ahead to do so and to sprinkle 'kpoikpoi', the traditional grounded maize and palm-oil. Mr, Okine is said, to have sprinkled 'kpoikpoi' along portions of the ,High Street and inside the Ussher Fort, under police escort in breach of the "Greater Accra Regional Security Council order that no sprinkling would be allowed in the, streets of that, part, of traditional Accra. "The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Armah Ashietey said there should be no sprinkling of 'kpoikpoi' in the streets and in the stool house. The police however escorted Tommy Okine, upon who there are court injunctions restraining him from holding himself as a Gbese Mantse," he said." ' He stated that "Tommy Okine, contrary to the Regional Security Council's order, sprinkled 'kpoikpoi'." Besides Tommy Okine, the Gbese Mantse mentioned the name of a certain Nunoo Quaye aka Kasablofo, upon whom there is a bench warrant, as being part of those who took part in the procession under police escort. He expressed surprise at the way a person, upon who there is a bench warrant, roams the street under the very watch of the security agents. "Are we in a lawful society?" he asked rhetorically. "At about 5pm on Saturday, I called the attention of the Regional Minister about the breach but he said he was not aware but promised to call back but has since not done so." he noted. In a related development, the Ga Mantse, King Tackie Tawiah III, marked the occasion at the house of his ancestors, Nii Bi Ameley Nkpa We of Nii Teiko Tsuru We (Lion's Den), close to the General Post Office, the same venue last year's event was observed. Although restricted to the confines of the house, the event was colourful with ancestral relations of the Gas coming, as they do every year, to pay homage to him. The sentiments of the Ga King were contained in the words accompanying the pouring of libation preceding the sprinkling of the kpoikpoi. "We should have been doing this outside but these are unusual times. The Ga state is at war but we do not know our foes. We have no case with anybody. Whoever wages war against us, let it end on them; he said, as he sprinkled tots of Schnapps, the traditional alcoholic beverage for such sacred moments from time immemorial. The libation pouring was followed by the sprinkling of 'kpoikpoi' and the eating of the food, with the Ga Queen Mother Naa Dedei Amaduro III. If one of the objectives of the Homowo was to deny the Ga Mantse the opportunity of receiving homage from his people, then it flopped because many chiefs trooped to the Lion's Den to do just that flamboyantly. One of the chiefs announced his arrival with the firing of musketry to the admiration of the crowd which made merry with some discussion about what they saw as the divide and rule tactics of the government having witnessed the sprinkling of kpoikpoi on the High Street. Some cynically described what they saw as an NDC Homowo. According to the spokesperson of the Ga Mantse, Nii Abbey, those who breached the Regional Security Council's order were escorted by the Police "and I personally saw Mr. Acheampong and Inspector Dompreh donned in a No.7 T-shirt, watching the illegal procession." The Homowo restriction, according to him, was a trap for the Ga Mantse so the police can have an excuse to do something untoward, should he go ahead to breach the order. "David Tackie Commey was spotted in front of the Stool House and nothing happened to him,” he added. Source: Daily Guide