Abiasuma Nii Tackie Tawiah I, also known as King Tackie Tawiah I, was the 20th King of Ga Mashie and the second to have reigned the longest as Ga Mantse.
His long reign (40 years) spanned 1862 to 1902.
Early Life
King Tackie Tawiah, born in 1817 as Nii Kwashi Tawiah into the Ga Royal Family of Teiko Tsuru We at Kinka, was a very successful merchant, who operated in several African countries.
Aside being acclaimed the most illustrious, progressive and enterprising of all the Ga kings, he was also a development-oriented leader who identified himself with his people.
Reign
On December 12, 1862, Nii Kwashi Tawiah ascended the Ga throne as the 20th King. He succeeded Nii Yaote, who reigned from 1859 to 1862.
Considered a great military tactician, King Tackie Tawiah fought alongside the Governor of Usher, who had the Gold Coast Constabulary in the June 1869 war at Asutuare.
He was involved during the Anlo Wars (1855-1866), when the people of Accra joined forces with the Akwapim to fight the Anlo, and also fought in the Tordzie or Adidome wars.
In 1869, he led his Ga warriors to march with the combined forces of the British, Ada, Akyem and Akwapim against the Anlos and their Asante allies in the Vovo, Duffor and Clover Wars.
Exile
After consistently defying orders by the British to assist them, alongside King Asafu-Adjaye of Juaben, to invade Asante and claim the Golden Stool, he was exiled to Elmina from November 1880 to 10 March 1883, due to what was described as his persistent defiance of the order of the British Government.
He also led his people to resist British attempts at introducing an ordinance demanding taxes and land acquisition in Accra.
After receiving a pardon in 1883, King Tackie Tawiah was taken to Ga Mashie (Accra Central) in a great procession to continue his reign and led his people in their struggles against the colonial regime.
Death
The King died in 1902, and was buried in Accra, after his 40-year reign, thus becoming the second longest king after Nii Tetteh Ahinakwa, who reigned from 1740 to 1782, (42 years).
He is the only Ga King and the second Ghanaian king to be featured on a Ghanaian stamp after the Asantehene.
The Rawlings-led Government, in 1997, named the Kanda Flyover in Accra after King Tackie Tawiah.
In the same year, the Ga-Dangmes instituted the King Tackie Tawiah I Memorial Lectures.
On September 23, 2002, a giant effigy of the King was unveiled at the Rawlings Circle, near the Makola Shopping Mall in the Central Business District of Accra, in honour of his exploits and great?achievements.
Source: Ghana News Agency