Emmanuel Nii Okai Laryea Is Our Family Head, Not A Fraudster – Fitii Family Elders

An official statement signed and issued by the Principal Elders of Nii Kwaku Fitii Family of Gbese in Accra has confirmed that Emmanuel Nii Okai Laryea has been the legitimate Head of the entire family, since October 2018 when he was properly nominated and installed  in accordance with the requisite traditional and customary rites for him to occupy that position of high authority.  

The Principal Elders also put on record that after the recognized Chief of Fitii We, known as Nii Kwaku Fitii Ill, joined his ancestors some seven years the Family has not named his successor.  It sis this is a fact that can be attested to by the “Gbese Paramountcy, under whose jurisdiction the Nii Kwaku Fitii Family falls”.

The statement, issued in Accra on July 18, 2024, was to set the records straight  and rubbish recent news reports from a section of the media which alleged that Emmanuel Nii Okai Laryea, a former Member of Parliament, was an imposter who was defrauding the Fitii Family through the sale of lands.

“We hereby advise and caution the general public to regard the article in question as false, without foundation, a mere fabrication, and maliciously intended to defame the character and reputation of the Honorable Emmanuel Ni Okai Laryea, the legitimate Head of the Fitii We Family”,  the July 18 statement noted.

The full statement reads:

OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF REBUTTAL BY THE PRINCIPAL

ELDERS OF NII KWAKU FITII WE IN RESPONSE TO A PUBLICATION IN THE NEW CRUSADING GUIDE ON 1 JULY 2024

We, the undersigned Principal Elders of the Nii Kwaku Fitii Family of Gbese, Accra, hereby submit this official statement of rebuttal in response to an article published in the New Crusading Guide on 1 July 2024, page 1, titled “Former NDC Amasaman MP dragged to Court for Allegedly Defrauding Fitii We”. We wish to bring the following facts to the attention of the public:

1. That, the undersigned Principal Elders do hereby affirm and attest that Hon. Emmanuel Nii Okai Laryea was duly nominated, appointed, and installed as the Head of the Nii Kwaku Fitii Family of Gbese in Accra on the 10th day of October, 2018.
2. That, in his capacity as the legitimate Head of the Family, the Hon. Emmanuel Nii Okai Laryea was vested with full authority to manage all affairs of the family, including but not limited to the Family House and family properties such as land.
3. That, following the demise of the last recognized Chief of Fitii We, known as Nii Kwaku Fitii Ill, approximately seven (7) years ago, no individual has been duly nominated, appointed, and installed as Chief of Fitii We
4. That, as such, it is hereby stated for the record that there has been no recognized Successor to the deceased Ni Kwaku Fitii Ill, a fact that can be corroborated by the Gbese Paramountcy, under whose jurisdiction the Nii Kwaku Fitii Family falls.
5. That, it is hereby declared that the individual known in private life as Emmanuel Kuepeh Akuetteh, who hails from Nae We and not Fiti We, and who styles himself as Ni Kwaku Fitii IV, is not the legitimate Chief of the Fitii We Family. This fact can be verified with the Gbese Paramountcy.
6. That, it has come to the attention of the family that the aforementioned imposter and self-styled Chief, along with his collaborators, are currently facing criminal charges at the Accra Circuit Court for unlawful break and entry into the Ancestral Home in Gbese, Accra, in contravention of a pending interlocutory injunction.
7. That, we, the Principal Elders, hereby express our profound disappointment regarding the unverified nature of the journalist’s publication, which we deem to be in contravention of the fundamental principles of journalism, namely truth, accuracy, and objectivity.
8. That, we hereby advise and caution the general public to regard the article in question as false, without foundation, a mere fabrication, and maliciously intended to defame the character and reputation of the Honorable Emmanuel Ni Okai Laryea, the legitimate Head of the Fitii We Family. Thank you.

Signed

Mr. Paul Laryea,  Head of Okai, Laryea  and Ofoli Mensah Sub Families

Mr. James Adama Afful, Head of Amon Tse Akwetey Sub Family

Mr. Enoch Armah Odai Head of Ayi Kwame Sub Family

Mr.  Emmanuel Adotey Pappoe Head of Aton Sub Family

Mr. Nicholas Narku Nortey Acting Head of Tettey-fio Sub Family

Dated this 18th Day of July, 2024 in Accra