In November 2024, Mr D.E. Souza was installed as Torgbui Bliguede I, the first officially recognised Ewe Chief of Abeka, marking a historic milestone for the community and reflecting Abeka's diverse character.
In November 2024, Mr D.E. Souza was formally installed as Torgbui Bliguede I, the first Ewe chief to be officially recognised within the Abeka Traditional Area. His installation marked a landmark moment of inclusion and recognition for the Ewe community in Abeka — a community that has been part of the social and economic fabric of the area for generations.
The Ewe people, whose homeland is in the Volta Region of Ghana and across the border into Togo, began migrating to Accra and its surrounding communities from the colonial era onwards in search of economic opportunities. Abeka, situated at a key junction along the N1 highway corridor, became home to a significant Ewe community over the decades. Ewe residents have been active in Abeka's markets, trades, and community life, and many have raised families and put down roots in the community over multiple generations.
Despite this long presence, the Ewe community in Abeka historically lacked formal representation within the traditional governance structure. While the Ga Mantse and sub-chiefs governed the traditional Ga community, Ewe residents operated informally within that structure without a dedicated traditional voice of their own.
The installation of Torgbui Bliguede I changed this. Conducted in accordance with Ewe traditional customs, the ceremony formalised Mr D.E. Souza's role as the representative of the Ewe community within Abeka's traditional governance framework. He now serves as a full member of the Abeka Sub-Divisional Stool under the Asere Divisional Council, representing Ewe interests at the traditional council level.
The title "Torgbui" is an Ewe honorific for a chief or elder of high standing — equivalent in prestige to the Ga title "Nii" for a male chief. "Bliguede" is the stool name taken at installation, representing the identity and mandate of his office.
As Ewe Chief of Abeka, Torgbui Bliguede I serves several important functions:
The recognition of Torgbui Bliguede I reflects a broader truth about Abeka: while the stool and traditional authority are rooted in Ga custom and the Nii Boi Royal Family, Abeka is a community that belongs to all who live within it. The formal recognition of an Ewe chief is a gesture of inclusion that honours the contribution of the Ewe community to Abeka's growth and character — without in any way diminishing the Ga foundation of the community's traditional governance.
It also sets a precedent for formal recognition of other longstanding migrant communities, ensuring that Abeka's governance structures can evolve to reflect the reality of its diverse population while remaining grounded in Ga tradition and law.