The Wulomo vs The Chief: Who Really Ruled La?

Introduction: A Tale of Two Powers

Walk through the streets of La today, and you will see the palace of the La Mantse. You will hear of the Homowo festival, led by the chiefs. You will assume that the paramount chief has always been the ultimate authority. You would be wrong.

Before the chief, there was the priest. Before the palace, there was the shrine. Before the chieftaincy system that now dominates Ga political life, the Wulomo—the high priest—held the keys to both spiritual and political power .

The story of La is not merely a story of rulers and subjects. It is the story of a fundamental transformation in how a society organizes power: the shift from a theocracy, where priests ruled in the name of the gods, to a chieftaincy, where a secular leader managed civil affairs .

This transition did not happen overnight. It took centuries, shaped by migration, trade, and the pressures of European contact. And it was never absolute. Even today, the Wulomo remains a powerful figure—a reminder that in Ga tradition, spiritual authority and political power are two sides of the same coin .

Part 1: The Theocratic Origins – When Priests Ruled

No Chiefs, No Kings

Before the institution of chieftaincy was adopted, the Ga people operated under a theocratic system. Political authority was not held by a secular ruler but by the Wulomo, the high priest or fetish priest . Each Ga settlement was autonomous, and the Wulomo served as both the spiritual and political leader of his community .

As Akrong notes in the Research Review of the Institute of African Studies, this priestly theocracy was not an accident. It was a response to the historical circumstances of the Ga people: their separation from the Dangmes, their migration to the coast, and the pressures of acting as middlemen between European merchants and inland groups .

The Functions of the Wulomo

The Wulomo was not merely a religious figure. His responsibilities encompassed virtually every aspect of community life :

• Religious Leadership: He officiated at public worship, calculated the dates for the Homowo festival, offered libations to the gods, and performed purification ceremonies.

• Divine Intermediary: He interpreted the will of the gods to the people and prayed for them.

• Advisor and Judge: He advised the community and dealt with cases where his own god had been mentioned.

As Nii Amarh Soumponu II, the Tema Shipi and Stool Secretary, explained to the Ghana News Agency, the Wulomo functioned as “both a spiritual leader and messenger of divine revelations”—comparable to “pastors and prophets” in the Christian faith . He recounted a striking example: after the 1978 Kplejoo Festival, a Wulomo warned that Shed Three of the Tema Port would burn. The prophecy was ignored, and according to the account, it eventually came to pass .

The Meaning of “Wulomo”

The Wulomo is easily identified in Ga communities: clad in white shorts and a shirt, adorned with traditional black and white Ga beads, barefoot, and crowned with a locally sewn white hat while holding a staff . The white clothing symbolises purity and holiness, reflecting his spiritual role as custodian and guide.

Commonly referred to as “Nuumo,” meaning old man, the title symbolises wisdom, respect and spiritual leadership within the Ga traditional structure .

Part 2: The Shift – Why the Ga Adopted Chieftaincy

The Akwamu Influence

The shift from priestly rule to chieftaincy did not occur in isolation. According to traditional accounts, the Ga people adopted the chieftaincy system from the Akwamu . This adoption introduced the institution of chiefs alongside the traditional priesthood.

The transition became necessary as the Ga people became middlemen in the Atlantic trade. The pressures of dealing with European merchants on the coast and inland groups required a more centralised, secular authority . The Wulomo, while spiritually powerful, was not necessarily equipped to negotiate trade deals, manage diplomacy, or mobilise military forces.

The Separation of Powers

Over time, the Ga city-states separated political power from religious authority . The position of state chief, known as the Gã Mantse (or Ga Mantse), became responsible for civil matters, while religious authority remained in the hands of the Wulomei .

Yet the separation was not complete. Even after the introduction of chieftaincy, the Wulomei retained great influence in the administration of the state . As K.B. Asante, a former president of the Ga Dangbe Council, explained: “If he [Okudzeto] knows Ga history, he would know that the Ga State is originally run by a theocratic government in which the Wulomo was a separate head from the chief” .

The Two Parallel Systems

By the time the Europeans arrived in force, the Ga had developed a dual system of authority:

• The Wulomo – High Priest, spiritual authority

• The Ga Mantse – Paramount Chief, civil authority

This system has been described as “graduated authority or diffuse authority expressed in different offices” . No single individual held all the power. Instead, authority was distributed across different offices, each with its own sphere of influence.

Part 3: The Wulomo’s Enduring Power

Spiritual Authority Never Faded

Even after the introduction of chieftaincy, the Wulomo never became a mere ceremonial figure. His spiritual authority was, and remains, essential for the legitimacy of the chief.

The Gborbu Wulomo, the high priest of the Ga State, performs rituals that are indispensable for the enstoolment of a Ga Mantse. In 2025, when Queen Mothers and Women Warriors rallied to support King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, they emphasised that he had “completed all customary rites prior to his enstoolment, underwent purification rites performed by the Gborbu Wulomo in Nungua, received blessings from the Teshie Wulomo and solidarity rites from the La Kpaa Wulomo and was gazetted and recognized” .

The Queen Mother noted that “additional rites were conducted by other Ga spiritual leaders, culminating in his ordination and coronation by the Nai and Sakumo Wulomei. This full cycle of rites establishes unquestionable legitimacy in accordance with Ga tradition” .

The Wulomo as Kingmaker

The Wulomei are not merely passive observers of chieftaincy disputes. In 2015, the Ga-Dangbe Council of Wulomei stated emphatically that “no group of persons, including even the Wulomei, has the right to appoint, confirm or endorse anyone into a traditional position within the Ga State” . That exclusive right, they said, resided solely with the recognised and lawful persons affiliated to the Ga Paramount Stool Dzaase.

Yet the same statement reveals the Wulomei’s continued influence: they “spiritually and morally supported the Ga Dzaasetse in his use of legitimate and peaceful means to elect and enstool a rightful and legitimate chief to lead the Ga State” .

The Wulomei thus occupy an ambiguous position: they do not appoint the chief, but no chief can be legitimate without their spiritual endorsement.

The Priest Who Opposed the Government

The Wulomo’s influence extends even to national politics. In 2012, the government’s decision to prohibit the pouring of libation at Ghana’s Independence Day celebration was attributed to chieftaincy disputes within the Ga State . The government feared that selecting the wrong Wulomo would spark further controversy.

K.B. Asante rejected this reasoning, insisting that “the pouring of libation had nothing to do with chieftaincy issues” . The Wulomo, not the chief, was the proper person to pour libation. The government’s decision, in his view, was based on a fundamental misunderstanding of Ga political structure.

The Quadrennial Cleansing Ritual

Every 21 years, or when events such as deaths, chieftaincy disputes, and land litigations overwhelm them, the Gborbu Wulomo performs a ritual to cleanse the Ga land . In 2012, Numo Larweh Tsuru II performed this ceremony, dragging a cow through the town to the seashore, slaughtering it, and throwing its meat into the sea toward the four cardinal points .

This ritual is a powerful reminder that even after centuries of chieftaincy, the spiritual authority of the Wulomo remains essential to the well-being of the Ga people. The chief may manage the land, but the Wulomo cleanses it.

Part 4: The Chief – From Civil Administrator to Paramount Leader

The Rise of the Mantse

The introduction of chieftaincy created a new political office: the Mantse (chief). Each of the six independent Ga towns—Teshi, Nungua, Tema, La, Osu, and Ga Mashi—had its own Mantse, responsible for the administration of his town .

These six towns were organised into a paramountcy headed by the Ga Mantse (or Paramount Chief). The Ga Mantse was responsible for civil and administrative matters across the entire paramountcy .

Below the town chiefs were the heads of the Akutsei (quarters), and below them, the heads of families (Wei). The family, patrilineal, was the fundamental level of Ga political structure .

The Role of the Chief

The chief’s functions were primarily secular:

• Civil Administration: Managing the affairs of the town or paramountcy

• Trade and Diplomacy: Negotiating with European merchants and inland groups

• War: Mobilising forces for defence

• Justice: Adjudicating disputes (though the Wulomo retained authority in matters involving the gods)

Over time, as Accra grew into a major trading hub and later the colonial and national capital, the chief’s role expanded. Today, the La Mantse (the paramount chief of La) leads the community with the support of eight clan sub-chiefs, representing 77 family houses in the municipality .

The Chief and the Priest Today

In modern La, the chief is the public face of traditional authority. He presides over the Homowo festival, represents the community in national events, and is recognised by the government as the custodian of customary land.

But the Wulomo remains. He performs the purification rites that validate the chief’s authority. He warns of impending danger through prophecy. He cleanses the land when it is polluted by death or sin.

As the Tema Shipi explained, the Wulomoi “are revered figures in traditional settings, as they are believed to possess spiritual authority and serve as intermediaries between the people, their gods and ancestors” .

Part 5: Who Really Ruled? A Historical Assessment

The Pre-Chieftaincy Era: Wulomo Ruled

Before the adoption of the chieftaincy system, the answer is unambiguous: the Wulomo ruled. The Ga people had no chiefs, no kings, no secular rulers. Political power was reposed in the priestly class .

The Wulomo was not merely a religious figure advising a secular ruler. He was the ruler—responsible for both spiritual and civil matters .

The Transitional Period: A Shared Authority

During the period when the Ga were adopting chieftaincy from the Akwamu, authority was diffuse. The Wulomo retained religious authority, while the newly established Ga Mantse took on civil responsibilities . Neither had complete control. The system was, as scholars have described it, “graduated authority” expressed in different offices .

The Colonial and Post-Colonial Era: Chief as Public Face

Under British colonial rule, the chieftaincy system was formalised and, in some ways, elevated. The colonial administration preferred to deal with a single, recognisable secular authority rather than a diffuse priestly class. The Ga Mantse became the primary interlocutor between the Ga people and the colonial government.

After independence, this pattern continued. The government recognises chiefs as custodians of customary land and traditional authority. The La Mantse is gazetted; the Wulomo, while respected, is not.

The Reality Today: Complementary Powers

Who really rules La today? The answer is neither the chief alone nor the Wulomo alone.

The chief administers. He represents the community to the government. He manages land allocation and development. He is the public face of La traditional authority .

But the Wulomo legitimises. Without his purification rites, no chief can be properly enstooled . Without his libations, no festival can be properly celebrated. Without his cleansing rituals, the land itself is vulnerable to evil machinations .

The two offices are not rivals. They are complements. The chief rules the people; the Wulomo guards the spirit. Neither can function fully without the other.

Summary Table: Wulomo vs Chief in La History

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Did the Ga people originally have chiefs?
No. Before adopting the chieftaincy system from the Akwamu, the Ga people were ruled by a theocracy led by the Wulomo (high priest). Each Ga settlement was autonomous, with the Wulomo holding both spiritual and political authority .

2. Who is the Wulomo?
The Wulomo is the traditional high priest of the Ga people. Wulomoi are “revered figures in traditional settings, as they are believed to possess spiritual authority and serve as intermediaries between the people, their gods and ancestors” .

3. Who is more powerful—the Wulomo or the Ga Mantse?
The answer depends on the era. Before chieftaincy, the Wulomo held all power. After the adoption of chieftaincy, the Ga Mantse assumed civil authority while the Wulomo retained spiritual authority. Today, they are complementary: the chief administers, but the Wulomo legitimises .

4. Why did the Ga adopt chieftaincy?
The shift from priestly theocracy to chiefly rule became necessary as a response to the pressure on the Ga as middlemen between European merchants on the coast and inland groups. The adoption of chieftaincy from the Akwamu provided a more centralised, secular authority for trade, diplomacy, and war .

5. Can a chief be enstooled without the Wulomo?
No. According to Ga tradition, a chief must undergo purification rites performed by the Gborbu Wulomo and receive blessings from other Wulomei. As Queen Mothers stated in 2025, “This full cycle of rites establishes unquestionable legitimacy in accordance with Ga tradition” .

6. What is the Homowo festival?
Homowo is the annual harvest festival of the Ga people, celebrated every August. The name means “hooting at hunger,” commemorating the Ga people’s victory over famine. It is a time of thanksgiving and unity, marked by the preparation of kpokpoi (a corn-based dish served with palm soup) . The Wulomo traditionally calculates the dates for the festival.

7. Who is the current Ga Mantse?
The current Ga Mantse is King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, who was enstooled according to sacred traditions, underwent purification rites performed by the Gborbu Wulomo, and has been gazetted and recognized under Ghanaian laws .

8. Do chieftaincy disputes still affect the Ga State?
Yes. The Ga State has been engrossed for many years with a dispute over the rightful Ga Mantse. The formation of the Ga/Dangme Lands Administration (GDLA) in 2024 was partly aimed at resolving chieftaincy litigations within the Ga/Dangme Traditional Area .

9. What is the Ga/Dangme Lands Administration?
The GDLA is an organisation formed by the four overlords of the Ga State to administer Ga lands, resolve land and chieftaincy litigations, and ensure that the Ga/Dangme communities become peaceful places to live and invest .

10. Does the Wulomo still perform rituals today?
Yes. The Gborbu Wulomo continues to perform purification rites, including a quadrennial cleansing ritual (or as needed when events such as deaths and chieftaincy disputes overwhelm the land) . The Wulomo also performs libation and leads the Homowo festival preparations.

Conclusion: The Dance of Two Powers

The history of La is not a simple story of one ruler replacing another. It is a story of adaptation, of a people responding to changing circumstances by reimagining how power should be organised.

When the Ga lived in relative isolation, the Wulomo’s theocratic rule was sufficient. When they became middlemen in the Atlantic trade, they needed a different kind of leader—a chief who could negotiate, trade, and fight. They adopted chieftaincy from the Akwamu, but they did not discard the Wulomo. They created a dual system: the chief for civil matters, the priest for spiritual.

This dual system has endured for centuries. It survived colonialism, which sought to diminish indigenous authority structures. It survived independence, which elevated chiefs as custodians of custom. And it survives today, in the tension and complementarity between the La Mantse and the Wulomo.

Who really ruled La? The answer depends on when you ask. Before the 17th century, the Wulomo ruled alone. During the transition, power was shared and contested. After the formalisation of chieftaincy, the chief became the public face of authority—but the Wulomo never lost his power to legitimise, to cleanse, to warn.

In the end, the question may be wrong. The Ga did not choose between priest and chief. They found a way for both to rule—each in their own sphere, each indispensable to the other.

And that is the true story of power in La.

Source: Accra Street Journal 

Last Updated on April 11, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu

Samuel Kwame Boadu

Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.

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