Naa Dode Akaibi I, was the first female ruler of the Ga Kingdom in 1600’s Gold Coast, the present-day Ghana.

She was a Guan and a princess of the Awutu people. Her association with the Ga state was as a result of her marriage to a powerful Ga chief known as Mampong Okai.

She supported her husband under whose reign the Ga state witnessed a significant rise along the coastal areas through the annexation of smaller states during wars and playing middlemen in the gold trade between Europeans and Africans from non-coastal areas.

After the demise of her husband Nii Okai in 1610, custom required their firstborn, Okaikoi, to become the king but he was deemed to be too young to fill the vacuum left by his father.

Determined not to allow the kingship title to leave her family, Nana Dode took the decision to become regent of the Ga State until her son came of age.

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Her rule was repugnant to the Ga customary law of succession which only allowed male rulers.

Dode Akaabi became the first female political leader of the Gold Coast who opened a new world of power to her gender.

Some attribute the custom of sitting on stools to Dode Akaabi. Prior to her rule, stools were mainly taken to war and held aloft to lift the spirit of the troops.

She demanded to sit on the war stool to visually symbolize her authority over her people.

She empowered women and forbade men from using the expression “bulu”(fool) in reference to their wives. And when they did, she ordered that a live lion or tiger be captured for her just to deter the men from disrespecting their wives.

She led the Guans comprising the Obutus, Lartehs, Kyereponis, Krachis, Guans, etc to secure many lands including Ayawaso, Nsakina, Ablekuma, Amasaman, etc and even helped the Akwamus in so many wars.

She had her personal war stools situated in places marked in present day Bereku and Larteh.

Naa Dode was buried alive after falling into a pit which she asked to be dug for persons who broke her strict rules.