Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Northern region Mohammed Baatima Samba has donated in cash and kind to both Abudu and Andani families towards the funerals of the two late Overlords of Dagbon.

It will be recalled that Chairman Samba donated 200 bags of rice, 100 bags of maize, 10 bulls and Gh20, 000 to the Abudu gate in the run-up to the funeral of Yaa-Naa Abudu. At that time, his gesture was seen as a conventional act of kindness shown to an ally.

Chairman Samba has proved his critics wrong and showed his willingness to embrace people of Dagbon regardless of the gate they come from by donating an exact quantity of the items he donated to the Abudu family also to the Andani family.

The NPP led by Chairman Samba has, however, showed leadership and their commitment to peace in Dagbon. At a time the government, the Committee of Eminent Chiefs, Civil Society Organizations, peace-loving Abudus and Andanis and well-wishers of Dagbon are strenuously striving for peace,

However, the warrior beehive of Dagbon was unveiled on Monday following the official declaration of the Chief of Kumbungu to attend the final funeral rites of the late Overlord of Dagbon Yaa Naa Yakubu Andani (II).

The Chief of Kumbungu, who is traditionally the army commander of Dagbon, has customary duties to perform during the funeral and one of the customs, according to Dagbon tradition is to unveil the beehive for an onward journey to Yendi.

Background

The funeral rites of Yaa Naa Andani started about 4:45 a.m. last Friday, January 11, 2019, with drumming and singing of dirges at the temporary Gbewaa Palace, supervised by the Royal Chief Drummer, N-yab Namogu.

That was followed by three rounds of musketry display by the royal warriors, led by their leader, Yani Achirikpema, to traditionally announce the commencement of the funeral.

Last Sunday, January 13, 2019, children of the Yaa Naa (about 100) and other family members were given clean shaves (Kubihi Pinbu) to depict their royalty during the entire funeral process.

Major rites to climax the funeral will be performed on Thursday and Friday. The ‘Buni Wuhibu’, which literary means “display of wealth”, will be performed on Thursday, while the ‘Sara Taribu’, the offering of alms, will be done on Friday.