Biography of the late Ga Mannye Naa Dedei Omaedru III

Naa Dedei Omaedru III also known in private life as Naa Dedei Ablah was born on Tuesday 20th April 1934 to George Holmes and Sarah Akweley Kotey both of blessed memory at Faase Accra. At a tender age, she travelled to Nigeria-Lagos state to live with her late uncle Charles Holmes and attended school there.

She returned to Ghana due to her mother’s illness and continued her education at Adabraka Methodist School where she completed her standard seven educations.  After this, she acquired employment at the Pioneer Paper Bag factory, James Town Accra. On account of her great beauty and grace she won the Greater Accra beauty contest both in 1960 and 1961. She further contested for the Miss Ghana Beauty contest and placed second.

Naa Dedei moved on to work at the Tema Aluminium factory as sectional head.  In 1963 at the age of 29, She became Ga Manye. Her stool name Naa Dedei Omaedru III a name which. She took over from her grandmother Naa Dedei  Omaedru II. She was gazette on 29th November, 1968 and ruled for 59 years.

Naa Deedee was well respected and held with deep affection by all with whom she came into contact.  Her achievements for the Ga State during her reign were many. She sought the welfare of the girl child and women especially the queen mothers in the Ga state. She stood for peace and unity not only for her people of the Ga state but for all Ghanaians. She advocated for people of the Ga State to unite to propel massive development in the area as well as to safeguard the future of the Ga child. She was a firm believer that the Ga people will only prosper when a legitimate chief is enstooled in order for her to also perform her duty as mother of the land.

Throughout her reign, she has demonstrated extraordinary sense and love for the Ga customs and always called on her people to protect their rich values, culture and celebrations. Naa Dedei Omaedru III was indeed known for her charity work and the love she bore for  all her Ga children. In 2004 she donated items worth ¢12 million to the Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled (GSPD) at the Ghana National Rehabilitation Centre in Accra.

In 2016 The Paramount Queen left our shores for five years for medical treatment in the US. On 14th April 2021 she  returned to Ghana and was  received at the VIP lounge of the Kotoka International  Airport on Tuesday by a high powered Ga delegation led by  Nii Adote Otintor III, the Acting  President of the Ga Traditional  Council, the Greater Accra  representative of the Council of  State, Stanley Adjiri Blankson,  Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey,  Mohammed Adjei Sowah and  Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije past  Mayors of Accra. Respectively. In thanking everyone for their support, she reiterated her love  for peace for all Ghanaians and  said:

“I’m happy to have come to  meet people from both NPP  and NDC, that is what I like so  that one day when the almighty  God calls me to rest I will be  carried around the world for  people to see that I also played  my part. So thank you all.”

Such was the joy of her people to have her back that she was paraded through historic streets in Accra and was welcomed by the Ga Mantse, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II at the Gã Mantsɛ  Sɛi shiã with the performance ̃ of some traditional rites and  customs.

Her many awards include the following:

• Excellence in culture, chieftaincy and justice – presented by Gadangme Association International of Philadelphia 2002.
• The Starfish award – presented by Martin Luther King Senior High school Philadelphia 2002.
• Dedication in Ga traditional customs, culture, education and chieftaincy – presented by International House Philadelphia, 2005.
• Humanitarian award – presented by the African American Museum 2007.
• Mother of gold with Black Legend Africa Ghana – presented by evergreen Africa 2009
• Accra mayor’s ball citation for championing the development of the Ga culture and state – 2015.

Naa Dedei Omaedru was known in her private life as Madam Vivian Joana Abla Holmes. She has five children, thirty (30) grandchildren, fifty nine (59) great grandchildren. She died on the 26th December 2022 at her residence in  Dansoman, Accra.