Queen Dodi Akaabi [1] also known as Naa Dode Akabi I[2][3][4] ruled the Ga Land from 1610-1635 [5] and was an Obutu or Awutu princess who was married to the wealthy Ga King, Mampong Okai. The Obutus/Awutus were known for pomp and opulence and were much into gold trade.[6][7][8][9][10][11]

History edit

After the death of her husband, she succeeded him as the first and only Ga ruler who was much feared for her boldness and strict legislation that focused mostly on uplifting women. She is credited with bring much pomp and opulence to the royal throne including adorning of kings with much jewelries and also for the tradition of sitting on stools which hitherto were taken to wars and were used to uplift the spirits of the troops. She sat on the stools which have a common tradition now to visualize her authority over her people.[12]

She led her people to several wars and was a great warrior and owned many lands even beyond the Ga land and conquered many lands. However, she had harsh legislation for men who mistreated women, raped women or disrespected women in any way and this made her hated among her people.[6]

She was buried alive by some men she had severely punished. Her son, Okaikoi, the warrior king, ruled after her.

References edit

  1. ^ "Harry N K Odamtten - Google Scholar". scholar.google.com. Retrieved 2020-08-12.
  2. ^ "Dode Akabi: A Reexamination of the Oral and Textual Narrative of a "Wicked" Female King". ResearchGate. Retrieved 2020-08-12.
  3. ^ Odamtten, Harry (2015-10-01). "Dode Akabi:A Reexamination of the Oral and Textual Narrative of a "Wicked" Female King". History.
  4. ^ Odamtten, Harry N. K. (2015-09-17). "Dode Akabi: A Reexamination of the Oral and Textual Narrative of a "Wicked" Female King". Journal of Women's History. 27 (3): 61–85. doi:10.1353/jowh.2015.0034. ISSN 1527-2036. S2CID 142675377.
  5. ^ Ayittey, G. B. N. (2006-01-01). Chapter 5. African Kingdoms. Brill Nijhoff. ISBN 978-90-474-4003-1.
  6. ^ a b "The GaDangme". www.thegadangme.com.
  7. ^ Wilks, Ivor (1957). "The Rise of the Akwamu Empire, 1650-1710". Transactions of the Historical Society of Ghana. 3 (2): 25–62. ISSN 0855-3246. JSTOR 41405705.
  8. ^ Anderson, David; Rathbone, Richard; Rathbone, R. J. A. R. (2000). Africa's Urban Past. James Currey Publishers. ISBN 978-0-85255-761-7.
  9. ^ Ayittey, George (2006-09-01). Indigenous African Institutions: 2nd Edition. BRILL. ISBN 978-90-474-4003-1.
  10. ^ ghana, Michael Eli Dokosi-www blakkpepper com- (2017-08-18). "The possible beginnings of the Ga chieftaincy conflict". BlakkPepper.com. Retrieved 2020-08-12.
  11. ^ Reindorf, Carl Christian; Christaller, J. G. (Johann Gottlieb); Parr, Charles McKew donor; Parr, Ruth (1895). History of the Gold Coast and Asante, based on traditions and historical facts : comprising a period of more than three centuries from about 1500 to 1860. Brandeis University Libraries. Basel : The author.
  12. ^ "The Forgotten People And Heroine, Dode Akaabi. Part 1". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 2020-08-12.