The LAFE (HLƆ) Clan of Anlo – EWES

The Lafe clan is the premier clan of all the fifteen clans of Anlo. It has more population than any of the other clans and has more land and property than any other clan in Anloland. It is well organized and is extremely group conscious to the extent that in 1957, the leading members of the clan got together and installed Togbui Wenya II as Dutor of Anlo.

As the leading clan, all members of the Lafe clan believe that they descended from Togbui Wenya (Atsu) who founded the Lafe clan in much the same way that Amlade clan was founded by Togbui Wenya’s twin brother Adedzanyaki (Tse). Membership of the Lafe clan can only be obtained by birth through the father. Like almost all Anlo clans, the headquarters of the Lafe clan is located in Anloga but the Lafe Kpornu or the sacred base in Anloga is at Gave – Nyaxoenu now corrupted to Yoxoenu.

All members of the Lafe clan believe that the name for there is derived from an earlier admonition by their founding father, Togbui Wenya at Notsie who kept insisting on the fact that his children should show the same degree of kindness to their brothers and sisters at home (Lofemetowo) as they were doing to strangers. Lofemetowo, through the years became corrupted to Lafeawo.

The Lafe clan has three totems, i.e. the Monitor lizard (eve), the Antelope (ese) and the Sparrow (atsutsroe). Each of these totems has a special sacred place in the customs of all Lafeawo who are therefore forbidden to kill or eat any of the totem animals. Should a member of the Lafe clan find anywhere the dead body of any of these totem animals, he is obliged by clan custom to cover the dead animal with leaves or, if possible, to give it a burial. If a member of the clan violates this custom, it is believed, he will be inviting a grave misfortune, and even death, to himself.

As the oldest clan in Anloland, the Lafe clan has its own names which are given to all children born by a Lafe father. The first male child born to a Lafe father is named Fui, followed by Tsatsu, Tsidi, Akorli, De, Lotsu, Letsa, Dra, Akorlor, Akorlortse, Tui. The female Children are named as follows: Kokui, Abui, Dzoe, Sa, Kuya, Avaye, Avala, Vala, Valavala, Valawui, Gbato. These Lafe clan names are shared with closely related clans like Amlade (founded by Tse Adedzenyaki, brother of Atsu Wenya), Adzovia (founded by Sri I, Wenya’s sister Kokui’s son), Bate (founded by Adeladzea I), Like (founded by Torgolo, son of Abui, sister of Sri I), Bamee (founded by
Bametsikpo, grandson of Adeladzea I), Tavi (founded by Atsu and Tse, grandsons of Wenya), Klevi (founded by Dordi, grandson of Adeladzea I) and Xetso ee.

The Lafe clan observes specific customs for the burial of its members. They share with the group of closely related clans already referred to, a five-day interval after the death of a member for performance of mortuary rites. Inspite of this, the Lafe clan is the only clan, even in the five-day mortuary rites group, that has its members buried with special herbs put into their coffin.

As the owners of the Awoame stool and the king-makers of Anlo, the head of the Lafe clan installs all Awoamefiawo, elected either from Adzovia or Bate clans. Indeed the Lafe clan ensures that the necessary rites associated with the installation ceremony of an Awoamefia both at Anloga and Notsie are dutifully observed. Should there ever be trouble over the succession to the Awoame stool, it is the Lafe clan that has traditional responsibility to settle such problems.

The Lafe clan owns quite a large number of properties all over Anloland in the form of lands, palm groves, fishing creeks, etc. the bulk of the land in the following towns and villages of Anlo are owned by the Lafe clan: Atiavi, Anloga, Woe, Tegbi, Agbosome, Adafienu, Aflao, Avoeme, Akame, Hedzranawo, Afife, Weta, etc. there
are appointed leaders in each of these places in whom are vested legal and ritual powers. The clan meets time to time to discuss matters affecting the welfare of clan members and issues connected with clan property in terms of its use and revenue accruing to such property.

In all Anloland, the Lafe clan, assisted by Amlade clan, has a hereditary right to perform certain ritual rites especially in connection with land and political functions. At all public meetings, it is the Lafe clan leaders who first pours libation to the Anlo gods and ancestors. This is followed by the Amlade clan leader. This ritual role of the Lafe clan is in recognition of the fact that the Lafe clan I the oldest clan in all Anloland. Lafe and Amlade clans were the first two clans to have settled in Anlo. All Hogbetsotso festivals have always been opened with libations poured by the Lafe clan and Amlade clans.

Any member of the Lafe clan travelling anywhere in Anloland can trace his fellow clan man and be sure that he will be given typical Lafe hospitality. The Lafeawo have always extended hospitality to strangers: why not to fellow Lafeawo.