Dagbon chieftaincy: Abudus occupy old Gbewaa Palace

General News of Thursday, 13 December 2018

Source: Abdul Karim Naatogmah

2018-12-13

Gbewaaa .jpegRegional Minister, Chiefs at the old Gbewaa Palace

Government has officially handed over the Old Gbewaa Palace to the Abudu Royals in Dagbon to perform the funeral of the late Yaa-Naa Mahamadu Abdulai IV.

They have two weeks to perform the funeral and subsequently the Andani family are also expected to perform that of the late Yaa-Naa Yakubu Andani II from January 4 to 18, 2019.

After signing an undertaken, the Northern Regional Minister, Salifu Sae-ed gave the keys to the Abudus Head, Mba Dugu Iddrisu Iddi at the forecourt of the newly constructed structures.

The newly constructed structures at the Old Gbewaa Palace are meant for the funerals of the two late Dagbon Overlords.

As Chairman of the Regional Security Council (REGSEC), Salifu Sae-ed pleaded with the Abudus to zealously safeguard the Palace.

He added that nobody would be allowed to act contrary to the dictates of the final roadmap to peace restoration in the Dagbon State.

He said the security operatives there would not tolerate acts of indiscipline and implored residents of Yendi to remain law abiding before, during and after the two funerals performance.

Ahead of the handing over ceremony, the Abudu family kick-started the much awaited funeral of the late Yaa-Naa Mahamadu Abdulai IV today (Thursday).

People from all walks of life have arrived in the Yendi Township to participate in the event.

They include paramount and sub chiefs, tourists and locals from the Dagbon Traditional Area and beyond.

By the official programme line up, the Abudus Regent, the Boling-Lana Mahamadu Abdulai will today (Thursday) occupy the newly built temporary Gbewaa Palace and he is on Friday, December 15, 2018.

The final funeral is scheduled for December 27 which will be climaxed with a Muslim prayer on December 28.

There will be memorial lectures on Wednesday December 19.

Imams and Pastors in the Northern Region have intensified their prayers for a peaceful Dagbon before, during and after the funerals.

The Dagbon Malimi Zungo (DAMAZ) association and the Dagbon Forum (DF) have doubled their support to promote and sustain the desired peace, unity and genuine reconciliation in Dagbon.

The Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has again reinforced security visibility there.

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YAA NAA MAHAMADU ABDULAI IV (1969 – 1974)

Yaa Naa Mahamadu Abdullai IV, the 35th Yaa Naa of Dagb?? from Naa Nyagse, was born on 2nd March, 1949 to Yaa Naa Abdulai III (Gmarigon).

He was in form one at Gbewaa Secondary School (now Tamale Senior High School) when his father died.

He was installed as Regent of Na Abdulai Gmarigon, and of Dagbon in 1967.

Yaa-Naa Mahamadu Abdulai IV ascended to the Yani Namship on 13th September, 1969 as ‘king’ of one of the greatest kingdoms in Africa.

He was a man of peace, patience and imbued with an impeccable sagacity.

His royal appellation was “Kuli Noli din vela ni lagim nyuriba” to wit “a stream sparkling with purity gathers multitudes of the thirsty.”

And so, when the potentates of Dagbon had got wind that Yaa Naa Mahamadu Abdulai IV had officially received a bundle thatch from the hands of Gushei Na Sugri Issah, the head of the kingmakers, to validate his ascension to the Yani Skin as custom demands,

it was greeted with joyously rapturous appreciations.

On the night of 12th/13th September 1969, Yaa- Naa Mahamadu Abdulai IV was escorted to Katini duu and finaly enskinned as ‘king’ of Dagbon, Yaa Naa, amidst musketry, drumming and dancing.

True to their expectations, Dagbon witnessed blissful transformation during his fives years reign.

He became a member of the Council of State of Ghana in September 1969 and in May 1970 he was elected as the President of the Northern Regional House of Chiefs.

As if by a doom spell of design, his foes who coveted his exalted position had begun to write series of petitions for his removal from the Yani Namship.

Employing vile, vengeful subterfuges and insidious political machinations, the conspiracy thickened.

On the faithful day of 23rd April, 1974, Dagbon eventually, the news went round that Yaa-Naa Mahamadu IV had been removed from the Yani Namship; not by customary procedures but by an executive fiat of the Acheampong administration.

Upon his arrival in Yendi, subsequent to his so-called removal, an act so totally inconsistent with Dagbon customs and traditions, he was met by multitudes of his sympathizers.

The looks on the faces of his admirers and sympathizers told it all.

Some were gritting with pains, seething with anger and clamouring for revenge.

Amidst this tensed atmosphere, the peaceful king of our land calmed them down for the sake of Dagbon.

“How could he expect them to be calm in the face of people provocatively poisoning the ever-flowing stream of purity?” they lamented.

But he urged, albeit philosophically, thus: “pahimiya suglo, amaa n-yi ti kani yinini ni nya” to wit “be patient, Dagbon is bound to witness perplexing times after my demise”.

Little did they know that he perhaps had premonition that his eldermost surviving son will be an exact replica of his (Naa Mahamadu’s) own father, Yaa Naa Abdulai Gmarigon, who was famously reputed for concurrently employing the traits from his maternal side “to tame and rule the world” and employing the traits from his paternal side “to sooth the world”.

Little did they also know that the supreme court of Ghana will later make a definitive pronouncement effectively validating the Yani Namship of Yaa Naa Mahamadu Abdulai IV and conferring entitlement on his children to legitimately ascend to the Yani Namship.

On the dark day of 15th of October 1988, the lion, Na Mahamadu Abdulai IV died. On October 17th 1988, the king was laid to rest in the royal mausoleum, Katini.

Wives and children

He had eighteen (18) wives, but three later died.

The wives of the Late Yaa-Naa Mahamadu were as follows:

(1)Gbanzaling

(2) Galibang

(3) Koyibga

(4) Pariwaa

(5) Gasinaba

(6) Yiblana

(7) Batamgali

(8) Balchisu Limam

(9) Azara Sagpegu

(10) Fati Sunsong

(11) Zuweira

(12) Aramatu

(13) Azara Bimbilla

(14) Safiatu

(15) Rahinatu

He left behind fourteen children (twelve surviving) six (6) male; namely Abdulai Mahamadu, Alhassan Mahamadu, Alhassan Mahamadu, Yakubu Mahamadu, Abdulai Mahamadu and Sulemana Mahamadu, and six (6) females; namely Sugri Mahamadu, Fati Mahamadu, Samata Mahamadu, Zenabu Mahamadu, Mariama Mahamadu and Awabu Mahamadu,

Nawuni Malimi Tinga Ka Naa Doni!!

BOLIN-LANA Mahamadu Abdulai

BOLIN-LANA Mahamadu Abdulai, first surviving son of late Yaa- Naa Mahamadu Abdulai IV, was born in 1974 around the same time his father was facing political and uncustomary machinations from his detractors.

He was installed as Bolin-Lana at the age of 14, a day after Yaa-Naa Mahamadu Abdulai IV was laid to rest at the Katini duu.

The Bolin-Lana Abdulai Mahamadu was in SDA Primary School in Tamale when his father died.

He has since been the Regent of his father for 30 years now.

Wives and children

The Bolin-Lana Abdulai Mahammadu has four wives and twelve (12) children!

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