PRESS RELEASE BY THE OFFICE OF THE GBORBU WULOMO-SHITSE ON THE REPORTED MARRIAGE RITES ON NAA OKROMO IN NUNGUA LAST SATURDAY

It has become necessary that the Office of the Gborbu Wulomo-Shitse set the record straight on the matters arising concerning the customary and traditional rites that was performed over the weekend for Naa Okromo to assume the role as Naa Yoomo Ayw?mo?de.

Naa Yoomo Ayw?mo?de is one of four roles played by indigenes of Nungua of particular heritage and ancestry from time immemorial. The title Naa Yoomo Ayw?mo?de which goes with the appellation “W? Dokum Yoo” says much about how far in time the office goes.

The Gborbu deity has four Traditional and Religious wives in Nungua alone and they are Naa Ashiele, Naa Ohemea, Naa Bosuafi and the final one is Naa Yoomo Ahwemoede. The Gborbu deity has other wives outside Nungua, some are Akornode in Larteh, etc. Per traditional customary rites, Naa Yoomo Ahwemoede performs a peculiar traditional role which is different from the other three wives.
Being a “Boi Ekaa Yoo”, Naa Yoomo Ayw?mo?de Aids the Gborbu Priest in performing special rites for the Gborbu deity which includes:

1. Dud? mli Nu Woo which she performs three times in a year to usher in the Kplejoo Homowo celebrations.
2. Jenten nihoom? which is to feed all deities at the cardinals of the Meridian Rock which is at the center of the world and its situated in Nungua.
3. She is the mother of all the Priests and Priestesses in Nungua.
4. She is responsible for carrying the corn wine to the Town Square (Festival grounds/Ablokor Jaanor) for Praises and thanksgiving to God Almighty.

5. She is responsible for cleaning and ablution of the Gborbu Temple during the annual Kplejoo Homowo Festival.

6. She is responsible for the Aywemoede deity and Shade deity which is purely performed by a virgin
   We would like to emphasize that, there is no canal relationship or marriage involved as perceived by many. For the records, the other wives to the deity have their respective legal husbands.

The items presented on Saturday 30* March, 2024 were not the usual items presented during marriage rites, rather, they were to aid Naa Yoomo Aywemoede to carry out her traditional duties as already mentioned.

Whenever the role becomes vacant, “atswaa tso he” to wit, spiritual consultations are made to determine who should take up the office. To add, persons from a particular home are selected for this role.

After the demise of the former occupant, which was over 300 years, it fell on Naa Okromo who was prophesied before her birth to take up the mantle as Naa Yoomo Aywemoede. Naa Okromo remained in her mother’s womb for about two (2) years before birth through the intervention of the Gborbu deities she was delivered and consecrated. She sat without walking for two (2) years. Through divine interventions, consultations and prayers to the Gborbu deity, she stood to walk.

This makes her a mystery child. She has been preserved in maintaining her virginity till now to assume her role as Naa Yoomo Aywemoede which she begun Six (6) years ago. Quoting from the M.J FIELDS RELIGION AND MEDICINE OF THE GA PEOPLE “chapter 3: at every woryoos yele yeli… there are always to be seen a dozen or so children of all ages painted with white clay and dressed in white.

These are children born in response to prayers to the particular gods or spirits.
Naa Okromo is one of such children for which reason she was chosen by the Gborbu deity for this role.

Events that unfolded on Saturday saw some excesses like all other events of which verbal misrepresentation and over exaggeration by some people who took over the microphone after the actual M.C is done with the presentation. We wish to debunk and disassociate ourselves from this misrepresentation and over exaggeration which without doubt are the cause of this disaffection.
We want to send this message to the general public and all media houses both home and abroad that Nuumo Borketey Laweh Tsuru XXXIII, Gborbu Wulomo-Shitse will for no reason attempt to violate the constitution of the republic which over the years has expressed and shown by way of his actions as a defender. For any clarity concerning Nungua, we will entreat all and sundry to contact the Office of the Gborbu Wulomo-Shitse.
Thank you.

Signed:
Rev. D. N. Gyasi Ankrah
Director of Administrations
Office of the Gborbu Wulomo-Shitse