In line with Dagbon traditional customs, Yaa Naa Abubakari II, the Overlord of Dagbon, was buried at the royal mausoleum before daybreak, leaving the Gbewaa Palace in Yendi quiet.
The Dagbon Consecrated Council of Elders and the Kuga Naa, the traditional father of Dagbon, conducted the burial according to traditional customs at sunrise.
The 41st Yaa Naa, whose rule was characterized by attempts to promote peace and reconciliation in the Dagbon Kingdom, was given a solemn farewell during the ceremony.
The drums that had echoed throughout Yendi during the period of mourning were lowered to a subdued rhythm as the corpse of the deceased monarch was brought to the palace for the last rites.
According to custom, the Kuga Naa’s formal announcement marked the start of the proceedings, followed by the purification of the palace prior to the interment.
Around Yendi, security was increased as chiefs who have a direct lineage to the Yaa Naa gathered in front of the Gbewaa Palace to pay homage to the departed ruler.
In solemn tones, royal drummers recited the king’s ancestry, a noticeable divergence from the triumphant bangumanga rhythms associated with a reigning Yaa Naa.
In accordance with Dagbon rulers’ custom, the burial occurred within the palace’s royal mausoleum. Only a chosen group of family members and elders were present for the final ceremonies.
After years of mediation by the Committee of Eminent Chiefs to settle the protracted Dagbon chieftaincy dispute, Yaa Naa Abubakari II was enskinned at the age of 87 on January 25, 2019.
His accession to the throne concluded a protracted period of ambiguity that ensued from the 2002 war between the Abudu and Andani royal gates.
After years of separation, he was generally regarded as a sign of reconciliation during his rule and made efforts to strengthen the kingdom’s togetherness.
In order to honor the departed monarch, inhabitants of Yendi attended the funeral ceremonies alongside customary leaders and dignitaries from all over the area.
Following the burial, Dagbon custom calls for the next step in the succession procedure: the enskinement of a Regent.
It is anticipated that the senior son of the late Yaa Naa would be enskinned as Kpampayaa Naa shortly. Until a new Yaa Naa is chosen and the final funeral rites are completed, the Regent will supervise the administration of Dagbon with the help of the Council of Elders.
For the time being, Yendi and the larger Dagbon Kingdom continue to lament the passing of a monarch who was strongly associated with peace and restoration throughout his reign.
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