Hamza ascends the throne of his ancestors

The usually quiet atmosphere that engulfs the Central Business District (CBD) of Accra on Sundays was turned into a carnival last Sunday when hundreds of gorgeously dressed well-wishers gathered at the Rawlings Park to witness the coronation of Hamza Peregrino Brimah as the eighth head and spiritual leader of the Yorubas in the Greater Accra Region.

That title, which about a century ago made the Yoruba chief the head of the Muslim community in the Gold Coast, today makes him the overlord of the two million Yorubas in Ghana.

Last Sunday’s event was the first time in recent memory that the outdooring of the Yoruba chief of Accra took such a national dimension, and probably international too.

Heads of major Yoruba communities in Ghana or their representatives were present with their retinues all flamboyantly dressed in native attire. They came from Kumasi, Wa, Sekondi, Kintampo, Obuasi, Ashaiman, Koforidua, Konongo, Kasoa, Tamale, Dunkwa and Bolgatanga.

Conspicuously present were members of the Greater Accra Council of Zongo Chiefs, led by their Chairman, Alhaji Abdul Kadir Tahir, the Dagomba Chief of Accra, who was also the chairman for the occasion.

The Zongo chiefs were among the first to endorse Chief Hamza after his nomination by the head of the Brimah family, Alhaji Yakubu Brimah, alias Govi, who unfortunately passed away a few weeks after but not before he was accepted and turbaned the traditional Muslim way by the National Chief Imam, Dr Sheikh Osman Sharubutu.

The Igbo community in Ghana, at least a faction of it, was also fully represented, with the President of the community, Elder Nze Dennis, and his council members being among the first arrivals, including his deputy, Pastor Michael Okereke. The Paramount Chief of the Igbos in Ghana, His Royal Highness Eze Ichie (Nii) Geoffrey Nwoye Mokwngwo, known by his title Eze Ndigbo Gburugburu I, also came with a large delegation to be part of the making of history.

The landlords of the Yorubas in Accra, who are the owners of Okaishie where the Yoruba Palace is located, came in their numbers, led by the Atukpai Mantse with support from the Darkuman Mantse and representatives of the James Town Mantse.
 
The atmosphere

Even though the programme was scheduled to start at 10 a.m., people started trooping to the Rawlings Park as early as 8.30 a.m.       

There was heavy presence of security provided by the police. Members of the local volunteer force were also present to support the police to avoid any breach of the peace. I got to know later that a faction of the Brimah family who supported somebody else had threatened to cause trouble.

However, there was no sign of violence as members of the other faction were seen moving about freely at the Rawlings Park. It was an incident-free occasion from morning till late in the evening when the merrymakers left the venue after the reception that followed the coronation.

The Rawlings Park erupted into ecstasy when Hamza arrived shortly after midday with his beautiful wife, the Olori, by his side. The security personnel had a really difficult time as they cleared the crowd to make way for the new king. The Chief Imam of the Yoruba community and his clerics who had been praying for the success of the programme, long life for the new king and peace and prosperity for Ghana had to temporarily suspend the prayers as jubilation took hold of the ceremony.
It took about 30 minutes for calm to be restored and for the clerics to complete their prayers.

Then followed the process for the coronation and the formal presentation of the sword of office to the new king, Chief Hamza Peregrino Brimah VIII.

The duty of putting the crown on the head of the new chief was given to the oldest Yorubaman in the country, 94-year-old Alhaji Yunus Jibril, popularly called Alhaji J. B. Ambassador who at his age, still looks strong and fully participates in the activities of the Yoruba community.

The ceremony reached a crescendo when a descendant of King Tackie Tawiah I left the dais to present the sword of office to the new king, making him the unchallenged successor to the dynasty established by his great grandfather, Chief Brimah I, who ruled from 1888 to 1915.

The legendary sword which is the symbol of authority of the spiritual head of the Yoruba community in Accra was first presented to Chief Brimah I by King Tackie Tawiah I on July 1, 1909, in recognition of the role Chief Brimah I played in organising the small Islamic community of about 1,500 people, mainly migrants from Nigeria.

It was in the performance of this singular role that King Tackie Tawiah I gave Chief Brimah I the title of Sarikin Musulumi or the Head of the Mohammedans.

The good work of Chief Brimah I caught the attention of the then acting Governor of the Gold Coast, Major Herbert Boryant. As a result of the influence of Chief Brimah I, the British colonial administration invited him to the Christianborg Castle for a chat which culminated in the recognition and endorsement of Chief Brimah I as the Head of the Mohammedan community in Accra.

Nigeria High Commissioner

It is significant to note that the new Nigeria High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr Michael Olufemi Abikoye, was present to witness the epoch-making ceremony. He could not hide his feelings when he said he was impressed by the turnout and the display of Yoruba culture at the highest.

Mr Abikoye called on all Yorubas living in Ghana to remain united and contribute their quota to the socio-economic development of Ghana.

“I am proud to see how you are faring in Ghana through this ceremony. I want to see a solid bridge built between Ghana and Nigeria,” he stressed.

The High Commissioner, while congratulating Chief Hamza, urged him to bring all his people together, including those in the family who might not have supported his nomination.  

The President of the Yoruba Community in Ghana, Alhaji Musa Baba, in a speech read on his behalf by Alhaji Tunde, called on all Yorubas to rally behind the new chief and give him the maximum support to enable him to succeed.

Also present at the impressive ceremony was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Odododiodio, Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, in whose constituency the event took place. He expressed delight at the successful coronation of the new king.

He said he was available anytime his support was needed to be by the side of the Yorubas, most of whom had been his friends for so many years.

Also present to lend his support was Alhaji Idris Osman, the Chairman of the Arewa community in Accra that comprises mainly the Hausa and the Fulani from Northern Nigeria.       

With last Sunday’s coronation, the mantle of leadership of the Yoruba in Ghana has been bestowed on Chief Hamza Peregrino – Brimah VIII.

Hamza was born in Accra on March 23, 1959 to the late Idris Peregrino–Brimah and Hajia Sadia Jaji. He had his basic education at the Ayalolo 4 Primary and Middle schools. He also attended Accra Technical Training College where he studied electronics.

He later proceeded to the United States of America (USA) where he attended the Truman College in Chicago, Illinois, graduating in Social Psychology. While in the USA, he set up the Matts Electrical Engineering Company. On his return to Ghana in 1999, he established the Muscop Construction Company, which is into estate development.
Hamza also operates a microfinancing company known as the Peepawa Microfinance Company Limited which offers employment to many people, just like his other company.

It is because of his long stay in the USA that he is popularly called “Oyinbo”, meaning ‘white man’ in the Yoruba language.