This present generation can trace their lineage to the establishment of KOWE by the founding fathers of La in the 1600s.
Nii Akornor We, was the sole Family House of Nuumo Oko’s children (Nuumo Oko is the founder of La), which became KOWE.
NII ODOTEI OTSIRINI was one of the royals of Nii Akornor We. He was a great warrior, but he was famous more for his skills in trapping and killing large snakes or pythons, hence his nickname “OTSIRINI” to wit, the catcher of great snakes. He had two sons from two women who later became known as Nii Odoi Asumang I and NII ODOI FREMPONG I.
Nii Odoi Frempong I became a very great spear and club warrior. And when in the late 1600s, the gun was introduced to the natives by the British, he was quick to learn the art of precision shooting. His great achievements and brave deeds so enamored him of his kith and kin that Nii Manle Dada l, in 1733 after leading the La people to defeat the Akwamus and pushing them beyond the Aburi mountains and to stop any future attacks, portioned out the seized land and distributed it amongst the Stool families of Kowe with Nii Odoi Frempong I at the forefront.
The size of that land, because of encroachment, has reduced to approximately 125 acres.
Nii Odoi Frempong I was also a trader and counselor that is why his main clients, the akan speaking people, gave him the acolade “Frempong”, meaning the fearless arbiter “
Nii Odoi Frempong I had only one son; NII OKPOTI KOFI ODOI Bef. 1800, who became the second Nii Shipi II (2) with the stool title Dadensuroja (The Great Warrior). Nii Okpoti Dadensuroja had 5 surviving children (two males and 3 females) as follows:
- Nii Immanuel Okpoti Kofi OdoiAbt 1820
- Naa ODOLE b, Abt 1821
- Nii Odotei (died before 1yr) Abt 1822
- Nii Ako (died before 1yr.) b. Abt 1823
- Naa Odorkor, b, Abt 1824
- Nii Anang Tsawe. B, Abt 1825. Due to family a Taboo, two baby boys died. The family was afraid the fourth son would also die; they therefore, sent the baby to the Fetish to be Preserved. The fetish was (NYONMO TSAA)
- Naa Ashong b, Abt 1827
Nii Okpoti Kofi became Nii Shipi II, and changed his stool name to Nii Okpoti Dadensuroja II. This has remained the title of the LA STOOL SHIPI to date.
The two sons of Nii Odotei Otsirini were among the first generation of sons to be considered as successors to the throne, when it became vacant after the death of NII SOWA OBLEJUMA III. When the lot fell on Nii Odoi Asumang I, as the next chief in the late 1600s, Nii Odoi Frempong Ipledged to protect his elder brother as the CHIEF OF STAFF and the COMMANDER of his army THE SHIPI.
Nii Okpoti Dadensuroja II, the first male child of NII ODOI FREMPONG I, continued as the Shipi of La during the reign of Nii Manle Saki II and Nii Anyetei Kwakwranya I.
When NII OKPOTI KOFI DADENSUROJA III, the first male born child of Nii Okpoti Dadensuroja II, became the first Christian Chief of Abokobi under the Stool name NII IMMANUEL OKPOTI KOFI I (1860 -1897), the then chief of La, Nii Manle Dada III (1868 – 1871) split the Office of the SHIPI into two, the ROYAL STOOL SHIPI and the LA STATE SHIPI.
NII ODOI FREMPONG WE, kept the Royal Stool Shipi and a recent family addition to Abese, “Kwamua Otum We”, was gifted the office of the La State Shipi (Adonten) with the title “ Nii Manle Osokrono”, because they had demonstrated their prowess in helping to defend the La State.
Nii Imanuel Okpoti Kofi I (1860 – 1897), the first Christian Chief of Abokobi, the citadel of the Presbyterian faith in Ghana, then changed (Christianised) the surname ”Odoi” to “ODDOYE”. So, to this day only the lineal descendants of NII IMMANUEL OKPOTI KOFI I, are called ODDOYE.
NII OKPOTI DADENSUROJA II, son of Nii Okpoti Dadensuroja I, was survived by four (4) children, two males and two females. Three of them became the existing gates of NII ODOI FREMPONG WE.
- THE NII IMMANUEL OKPOTI KOFI GATE: ODDOYE
- THE ANANG TSWAWE GATE: CHARWAY
- THE NAA ODOLE GATE: ODOI
THE Nii Odoi Frempong We (Family) association was birthed in 1963 by these royals;
MR. VICTOR OKPOTI ODDOYE
MR. HARRY VINCENT ANANG ODDOYE
MAD. COMFORT DZAMA ODDOYE
SIS. BEATRICE DZAMA ODDOYE (SECRETARY)
The first meeting was held at Adabraka, the house of Nii Shipi Dadensuroja V (1952 – 1979)(Mr. E. N. V. N. O. ODDOYE). Nii Samuel Ako Charway was the Stool Shipi IV (1920 – 1951) The meeting eventually moved to La, Nii Odoi Frempong We, in 1963.