Youth groups in the Ngleshie Alata Traditional Area have expressed outrage over what they describe as premature and provocative celebrations by supporters of Prince Ashiaku Bruce-Quaye, ahead of the High Court’s judgment in a long-standing chieftaincy dispute scheduled for Tuesday, November 11, 2025.
On Monday, November 10, 2025, reports emerged that hundreds of supporters of Prince Bruce-Quaye poured onto the streets of James Town in wild jubilation, claiming that the upcoming court ruling would go in his favour.
According to information gathered by this outlet, the jubilant supporters were heard boasting that they had “bribed their way” to secure a favourable verdict.
This public display has angered many youth groups and residents of Ngleshie Alata, who described the celebrations as an insult to justice and a threat to peace.
Concerns Over Premature Victory Claims
The supporters of Prince Bruce-Quaye, also known as Oblempong Wetse Kojo II, reportedly declared that he was the legitimate Paramount Chief (Mantse) of the Ngleshie Alata Traditional Area — a claim the gazetted chiefs and traditional rulers of the area are challenging in court.
The matter, currently before High Court 13 in Accra, was filed by the gazetted chiefs and traditional officeholders of the Ngleshie Alata Traditional Council against Prince Bruce-Quaye, contesting his claim to the paramount stool. The court is expected to deliver its verdict today.
However, the public statements and actions by Bruce-Quaye’s supporters ahead of the ruling have sparked anger and suspicion.
“The judgment has not been delivered, yet these individuals are already saying Prince Bruce-Quaye has won,” a spokesperson for the youth groups stated. “Is that not interference in the administration of justice?”
Youth Call for Investigation
The youth groups have therefore called on President John Dramani Mahama, the Acting Chief Justice, and the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs to thoroughly investigate the situation.
They alleged that some supporters of Prince Bruce-Quaye had openly declared that “the citizens of Ngleshie Alata will see how money speaks in court on Tuesday,” which they believe raises serious concerns about possible judicial interference.
“We don’t understand why anyone should be celebrating or predicting a judgment before it is delivered. This action strengthens our suspicion that something is going on behind the scenes,” the statement added.
Background to the Dispute
The youth groups, led by Emmanuel Ankamah, referenced an earlier ruling by the Judicial Committee of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs, which barred Prince Bruce-Quaye from holding himself out as the Ngleshie Alata Chief.
They argued that Bruce-Quaye’s enstoolment as the Ngleshie Alata Mantse was never completed, as he failed to undergo the required customary rites, and therefore could not have been legitimately registered or gazetted as a statutory chief.
According to the youth, the paramountcy traditionally alternates between two royal families — the Ajumako Dwurampong and Adanse gates — whereas Prince Bruce-Quaye hails from the Anumansa (Kweikuma Tsoshie) family, which is not eligible to occupy the stool.
They further alleged that his own family had previously destooled him as a sub-chief, disqualifying him from any claim to the paramount throne.
Claims of Fraudulent Gazetting
The groups also cited a 2015 ruling by the Ngleshie Alata Judicial Committee that prohibited Bruce-Quaye from parading himself even as a divisional chief, describing his current claim as “misleading and unlawful.”
They challenged his use of the stool name “Wetse Kojo II,” explaining that the original title was held by Henry George Vanderpuye, installed in 1939, and that any legitimate successor should be styled “Wetse Kojo III.”
The youth criticized the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs for allegedly inducting Bruce-Quaye despite ongoing court cases, describing the process as a “fraudulent gazetting” that bypassed proper customary and legal procedures.
Call for State Action
The groups accused Bruce-Quaye of surrounding himself with violent supporters and warned companies and individuals against engaging in land or business transactions with him, warning that any such dealings would be “null and void.”
They appealed to President Mahama, the Minister for the Interior, the Inspector-General of Police, and national security agencies to investigate Bruce-Quaye’s background and ensure peace in the area.
“We will not allow anyone to impose an imposter on us as our chief,” the youth declared. “Customary rites must come before gazetting, not the other way around. Justice must be done — and must be seen to be done.”
The Ngleshie Alata paramountcy has remained vacant for nearly eight years following the death of Oblempong Nii Kojo Ababio V, who ruled for 39 years. The leadership crisis continues to leave the traditional area in a state of uncertainty, as multiple legal and traditional cases remain pending.
Recent reports also allege that a suit challenging Prince Bruce-Quaye’s legitimacy was deliberately dismissed by some officials of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs, purportedly after receiving bribes.
The chieftaincy dispute — one of the most protracted in the region — remains unresolved, with several matters still before both civil and traditional courts.
Source: newsghana.com.gh
