On Saturday, May 6, 2023, the Teshie Mantse Palace paid a glowing tribute to the late Prophetess Alice Korley Kotey.
In a diabolical attempt to discredit the well-researched testimony, Reverend Dr. Daniel Mensah Ablorh, the Guest Preacher at the funeral falsely claimed that the Ga benedictory greeting “Twa Omanye Aba!” is demonic without providing any biblical basis for the spurious claim.
Let all men know by those present that before the Whiteman came with their white God, Gamei have their indigenous forms of daily and seasonal greetings: “Ojekoo” – “njemrã” for the morning, “Minaokoo” – “Naejɔ” for the afternoon and “Oshwiee” “Oshwiemra” for the evening. (Anteh, E. A, 1987, Amartey, A.A. 1996, Adjei Klu E. N., 2020).
The greeting for Chiefs and Customary office holders or Tsokunɔtralɔi and their subjects or constituents is the expression of beatitude: “ha manye” – “manye ba”.
The word “omanye” is translated as “peace” and “goodwill” with implications for courage and perseverance (1 Chronicle 12:18, 2 Chronicles 18:26, Psalm 122: 8, Luke 1:28).
By extension, “ha manye” means I seek your blessing for a peaceful and successful day.
This is a bottom-up exhortation by a native to a Tsokunɔtalɔ.
The Tsokunɔtalɔ is obliged by customs to give this blessing by responding “manye ba” – Peace be unto you or May peace and goodwill crown your edeavours throughout the day.
I state without any fear of contradiction that the recent advocacy for the replacement of the “Akwaaba” greetings signage at the Kotoka International Airport with that of “Omanye Aba!” is in the right direction.
It is therefore very unfortunate that a professing Anthropologist, Bible Scholar, and Reverend Minister and Medical Doctor and a self-styled Teshie Shikitele should peddle this damnable falsehood and crass ignorance in systematic theology by denigrating the spirituality of the “Tswa Omanye aba” greeting as being demonic and satanic without any empirical bible-based evidence. Come again, Reverend Doctor.
