Unveiling the Royal Side of Isaac Hayes

An except from the book: Unveiling the Royal Side of Isaac Hayes 

Isaac Hayes and Dionne Warwick cried uncontrollably, while visiting the dark slave dungeons of Cape Coast, Ghana in 1992, during the premiere of the documentary- “The Cycle is Complete”, in Queens, NY.

Little did anyone know, that a King would be connected to his royal roots that evening, through a Princess on a visit to Queens! 

No, it’s not the “Coming to America” movie, you could say, it is the “Going to Africa” movie (yet to be made), and what better person to lead his people to Africa, than the “Black Moses himself , aka  Sir Isaac Hayes!

We did not know then, that he had held the “rod” through his music, to part the “Red Sea” for many African-Americans, a generation later, to start coming to Ghana every December as a tradition, after his coronation in December 1992. This was further sealed by a Presidential invitation and pronouncement of 2019, as the “year of return” by HE President Nana Akufo-Addo- marking 400 years of slavery (Genesis 15 v 13-14). 

The whole thing was starting to feel prophetic from every side! Remember in the bible, Moses, was discovered by a Princess!  But at this kairos evening, my focus was on the tears that triggered my tears as I fixed my eyes on Dionne and Isaac. That evening, we would be connected together for life through our tears! 

These were the same tears I cried, decades earlier, when I visited these same slave dungeons and heard the horrific story of slavery! Anyone who has walked through those dungeons understands this experience and it never leaves you! 

It totally traumatized me for years!  I was hospitalized with migraine for many years after that. It ripped apart my believe in Christianity, seeing the church building on top of the cruel slave dungeons! 

I seemed to have drifted and had been transported into the slave dungeons- reliving the experience all over again when suddenly,  I wiped my tears and as I did that, something moved me straight up to Mr. Hayes. 

I had never met him before, but I knew of his songs through my older brothers, especially “I stand accused”, which they had memorized to “rap” to the young ladies! Somehow, it always worked! 

Before  I could say “hello”, the first words that came out of my mouth were: “Mr Hayes, would you like to be a king?” He looked at me, raised his eyebrows in complete shock as his eyes lit up, and he smiled broadly: “why, yes!” he then hurriedly gestured Mr Onzie Horne, his manager at the time,  to come over 

“Onzie, the Princess here asked if I would like to be a King, and I said “yes”. So please get all her information and handle all the arrangements with her.  We are going back to Ghana!”

Onzie was visibly thrilled, with a loud: “yes, sir!”

I could not believe what was happening! I literally choked! But I consoled myself that he would surely forget about all this once he left Queens.  I was so sure it would end there! 

The following week, I received a call from Onzie. “Princess Ocansey, Mr. Hayes is ready to become a King”. 

“Sure, let me get back to you….” 

I hung up the phone, gasped and the rest is history! 

Yes, so it was in Queens, that the King was connected to his royal roots through the Princess! Stay with me, aluta continue ( the battle continues)!

Yes, indeed – Isaac Hayes came to Ghana for his full royal enstoolment (coronation) training and full ceremony with the royal name: “Nene Katey Ocansey” ( “Nene” means “ Chief, King” “Katey” – “strong enough to tame a lion” and “Ocansey” means: “I do as I say”.  Hail, the King! 

Fast forward from 1992 to 1998. 

Isaac was so touched by the love and family relationships, he wanted to do something special for the people of Ada. 

He made so many great contributions —with  his time, efforts, love and funds during his reign, so much, that we can never forget him! 

It is only proper, during this 25th anniversary celebration year of the Nekotech Center of Excellence of Ada – Ghana, which I co-founded with the intergenerational Sir Isaac Hayes – Grammy and Oscar award-winning mega US Entertainer, our beloved Nene,  that I take a moment to pause to reflect on this great soul, who walked the face of this earth with a hot buttered soul! 

To one generation, he was the Black Moses – escaping poverty from the cotton fields of the deep South with one critical decision: “I just ain’t doing this no more!” as he run to freedom – leaving behind a life he knew he was greater than! And indeed, he was! 

To another generation, he was the sound of the untouchable “Shaft” by Stax records – which rocked nations with trailblazing hot sounds that beat through every heart and soul that heard it! 

To another younger generation, he was the unmatched “Chef” of South Park, cooking “chocolate salted balls” – bringing an original flavored character- built after him – raising ratings week after week!

I could go on and on, but to us in Ada, Ghana, he was simply our beloved – “Nene”(Chief, King) Katey Ocansey, a fully gazetted Chief of Development of Ada – “enstooled” by the elders in December 1992. I was made Queenmother for Development along side Nene to support his efforts – a position I accepted reluctantly, but came to appreciate deeply because of how Nene poured himself into his cherished role as Chief of Development of the Ada Traditional area. 

Isaac Hayes came to the Ocansey Royal Family just out of bankruptcy, at one of the lowest points of his life. Many people criticized us for bringing a “broke” man to the royal family. I faced much harsh criticism. 

“Why did you not bring Michael Jackson?” This man just lost $52 million, what can he do for anyone?”

For me, it was not about his money or lack thereof. I saw that the man genuinely loved the people of his race and money or no money, I knew God would use him for His purposes. 

Besides, the decision was beyond me – I was only obedient to a “higher force” that moved me to say those words to him: It was purely God, now looking back and because of that, when the elders consulted the ancestors, they were in full support! 

So we went ahead with his “enstoolment” (coronation) during the Panafest of 1992 where he performed, with other stars like Public Enemy’s Chuck D, Flavor flav, among others, through arrangements by the renowned Brother Akbar Mohammed of the Nation of Islam in Ghana.

The Ocansey Royal Family, led by my late father- Nene AkrofiKubi III and his elders,  sponsored the entire ceremony for his enstoolment without accepting a penny from Mr. Hayes. We embraced him fully into the family. Nene Kubi III assigned Nene Katey Ocansey to his new father: Nene Abordonu III, purely on the basis of love and family, and he became one of us.

The day after he had been “outdoored” to the entire village in a celebration ceremony at the main festival park in Ada,  mybeloved father asked us to take Nene Ocansey Island shopping,  for him to pick an island of his choice for our Royal Family to purchase for him as a gift. 

This was amazingly fun! We found the perfect Island and in addition, my late beloved Father – Nene Kubi III – presented Mr. Hayes and myself with land for an additional inland Palace!

Soon after his enstoolment, Isaac’s life seemed to have taken on a new upward direction. Doors started to open up and he landed the role of “Chef”on South Park. 

When he announced it to me I was so elated!  I then told him “Nene now you must go out there and roar like a lion and put your Royal life in place, go forth and reign in all that you do! Always remember, you are a KING!”  He looked at me and smiled, closing his eyes, almost as if he had started building the new palaces in his mind!

But Nene was not thinking of palaces, he was thinking of building a school in Ada! 

He opened his eyes and said to me: “Princess, I missed it with education, I did not finish my schooling. I want us to use the land given to us, to build a school – I want to change lives through education. Can we work together, to make that happen? Too many people come to Africa and talk a lot, make promises, and do nothing!  I do not want to be one of them! Your family has been so kind to me. At a time in my life,  whenthey knew I had nothing, you all warmly received me, renamed me, and crowned me King!

Now, I want to do something wonderful in return.”

I was very touched and said: “Sure!’  

How could I say no? But of course, I had no idea what I had signed up for!  That is another whole story! 

Indeed, we built the school, and through many difficulties and emotionally tough situations, God helped us to set up an orphan support program. Many times we tried to give up – but with each life transformed, it kept us going! 

From HIV/AIDS orphans getting help through jobs, through petitioning for pediatric AIDS medication help from the White House in Washington, DC, putting shoes on thousands of bare feet, and more! 

God used us to meaningfully break generational cycles of poverty, and millions of lives were saved through our HIV/AIDS initiatives – Save a Million Lives – in partnership with the USA National Medical Association and the USA Student National Medical Association – through Johnson and Johnson’s Ortho McNeil Pharmaceutical, NJ- USA. 

It was very difficult but fulfilling work! Many times, I cried for many of the difficulties we faced.  The work engaged our family including my beloved daughter, Funmi and my nephew, Cobby who led the Nekotech “Youth of Hope” initiative. We also expanded and built a community library to improve reading in the villages with the help of our friends from Utah.

Now, as I look to the next 25 years, I am so filled with hope for another million youth to be touched through this vision to transform lives through education!

We have two new Kings – one business and one Spiritual for the new era ahead: HRM Nene Akrofi Kubi Ocansey – aka US Hospitality mogul and Billionaire, H.E. Rev Dr Michael Roberts and his spiritual King: Nene Kabutey Kubi Ocansey, aka Rev Dr Jamal Harrison Bryant, Senior Pastor of New Birth Cathedral, Atlanta GA, USA.

NekoTech will be distributing $25 million worth of scholarship vouchers through its African STEM & Sports Institute of Excellence (ASSIE) USA Masters  Prep school.  Voucher scholarships valued at $2000 and $2500 each, will be distributed to over 10,000 qualifying African Bachelor’s degree holders in twenty selected African countries to pursue their Master’s degrees Prep School in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and STEM designates like STEM MBA, Supply Chain Management, STEM MBA and more. 

NekoTech has been working with Universities in the USA and will soon add Canada and the UK and other countries by 2030, to meet the UN SDG’s #8 and the African Union Agenda 2063. 

We thank God for the opportunity to serve his people and to humbly lift so many thousands of families out of the bondage of poverty while building bridges with many notable Americans, who came to support us to build the Nekotech Center:  Denzel and Pauletta Washington, Mr. Robert Johnson – former CEO of BET-TV,  the late mega boxing promoter, Butch Lewis, Rev. Alfreddie Johnson, Mr. Steven Seagal, Mr. John Travlota, Mr. Tom Cruise, Ms. Nancy Cartwright (Voice of Bart Simpson), Mrs. Adjoa Hayes, Mr. Bob Savage of Ortho McNeil Pharmaceuticals, Practical Employee Solutions CEO, Mrs. Veronica Birkenstock, Dr. Patrick Hines, and the SNMA Team, Mr. Andy Bailey of Save a Million Lives, UK, Mr. Chris Curry of New York, Mr and Mrs Amoaning Yankson, Mr and MrsFrancis Hajar, Mr and Mrs Kwasi Twum,  Bishop Charles Edward Blake of the Church of God in LA -CA, late Bishop Eddie Long of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, GA, Marie Wilcox, Max and Pat Reynolds of Love in Action, Utah and many more plus our dedicated staff and management of SOS and Nekotech Center of Excellence. 

The vision continues! 

Nene, I know you are resting in peace. 

Your dream lives on, so help us, God!

H.E. Rev. Dr. Princess Asie Kabuki Ocansey

Co-Founder, Nekotech Center of Excellence

Ghana