Know the differences between the titles: Togbe, Togbega and Fiaga.
Wednesday, January 19, 2022
In recent times, a slightly different version of the prefix "Togbe" has emerged: "Togbega." This newer version puts a distinction between the overall traditional head of an Ewe community and the divisional heads.
As the principal authority, "Togbega" translates as "Paramount Togbe." Still, some argue that another word, "Fiaga," an original Ewe word that means the highest ranking chief, should have been enough to qualify the position of the paramount chief.
After all, the citing of the paramount chief's name is usually followed by his description as the "fiaga."
Queens in Gbi are traditionally addressed as "Mama" - the same prefix for grandmothers and female senior citizens. The title for paramount queens in Gbi is "Mamaga."
THE TITLE "KING"
Some have stuck with the title "king" for Agokoli, even though Notse is no longer a kingdom – thus referring to the traditional head as King Agokoli. But this decision also appears to be the result of what one may describe as a type of new awakening among some Ghanaians who believe that the English title "paramount chief" is an invention by the foreigner, aimed at diminishing the authority and importance of African traditional heads at all levels. Consequently, "Togbe Agokoli" is used interchangeably with "King Agokoli" like in a number of other, similar cases.
NOTSE TODAY
The Notse Kingdom collapsed but the place has survived as a town and is very much alive today in the Republic of Togo. The name "Agokoli" remains the title of the town's paramount chiefs. The current paramount chief of Notse is Agokoli VI, officially referred to as Togbe Agokoli VI.
The background research to this story, conducted by Antoinette Herrmann-Condobrey, includes interviews with Togbe Agokoli VI, Togbega Gbusu VI of Gbi Dzigbe (Hohoe), and Togbe Kwadzo Dei XI of Gbi Anyigbe (Peki). Data collection also includes informal conversations with older Gbi citizens whose accounts came from narratives passed down by earlier generations.