President John Dramani Mahama has paid glowing tribute to the late Bolga Naba (Paramount Chief of Bolgatanga), Naba Martin Adongo Abilba III, for being an advocate of peace for his traditional area in the long period of 41 years that he reigned.
He said Naba Abilba stood for peace and development and expressed the hope that the succession plan laid down by the family and elders would be carried out peacefully to honour the memory of the departed traditional leader.
President Mahama paid the tribute when a delegation of family members, chiefs and people of the Bolgatanga Traditional Area informed him of the demise of the Paramount Chief at the Flagstaff House yesterday.
Naba Abilba died on September 26, 2013 at the age of 68.
Education
Praising the paramount chief for his interest in education, President Mahama said that interest portrayed him as a chief who had the development of his area at heart.
The President also said Naba Abilba was very accommodating, a trait that manifested in the way and manner he received everyone, irrespective of their political, ethnic or religious backgrounds.
“He was like a father to some of us and we shall greatly miss him,” he said.
He promised that the government would join the chiefs and the people of the area to accord him a fitting funeral.
Leader of delegation
Briefing the President on the Naba’s death, the leader of the delegation, the Chief of Yorogo, Naba Awuni Azebire Johnson, said Naba Abilba did his best to uplift the traditional area through improved education, especially in the area of girl-child education.
“He brought into fruition the Bolgatanga Traditional Area Girl-Child Education Fund, which supported many girls. That gave a true picture of him as an educationist,” he said.
Female Genital Mutilation
Naba Azebire said the late paramount chief also abolished some traditional practices that were at variance with modern situations, citing female genital mutilation as a typical example.
That initiative won the recognition of the United Nations, he said.
He said a regent in the person of Mr Raymond Alafia Abilba, the first son of the late paramount chief, had been appointed.
“Hopefully, he will continue to provide peaceful guidance in these very difficult times in the absence of his father,” the leader of delegation said.
The late Naba Abilba left behind eight wives, 45 children and many grandchildren.
His funeral arrangements, the family said, would be announced later.
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