Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Samuel Abu Jinapor was recently barred from visiting or leading any politician to visit Palaces in Gonjaland by the Yagbonwura, Jira Yagbonwura Bii-kunuto Jewu Soale I.

Samuel Abu Jinapor, a royal and the son of Buipewura Abdulai Jinapor II, becomes the second person in his family to have incurred the wrath of the Yagbonwura.

Jinapor fired in 2010

It would be recalled that in 2010, Buipewura Abdulai Mahama Jinapor II was relieved of his traditional authority by the Gonja Paramountcy in consultation with the kingmakers of the area following what the overlord described as unethical behaviour towards him.

A unanimous decision decided his alleged disregard for the paramount chief of the Gonja Traditional area.

A copy of the dismissal letter signed by the Yagbonwura and countersigned by the various kingmakers of the area.

The letter indicated that during the 3rd day sitting of the 1st ordinary meeting of the Gonja Traditional Council held on May 13, 2010, at Damongo, a case involving Buipewura and Monowura was tabled for discussion.

According to the letter, the Buipewura was alleged to have arbitrarily deskinned the Monowura because he failed to support him while seeking to be enskinned as Buipewura.

It added that the latter allegedly failed to pay him homage after ascending the throne, as Buipewura reasons for which he was deskinned as the Monowura.

Several interventions from prominent Ghanaians later led to an amicable resolution of the matter, paving the way for Buipewura to retain his skin.

Samuel Jinapor ban from Gonjaland palaces

A fortnight ago, the King of the Gonja Kingdom, Yagbonwura Bii Kunuto Jewu Soale I, also instructed all chiefs in the Gonjaland paramountcies not to grant access to the Damongo Member of Parliament, Samuel Abu Jinapor, to their various palaces.

According to him, any chief who defies the directive shall be sanctioned by the Yagbonwura palace.

“Paramountcies in Gonjaland should not grant audience to any Government delegation, political party or any person who pays you a visit, once it includes Samuel Abu Jinapor until he learns his tradition as a royal and learns how to respect the authority of the Yagbonwura and this statement is final and binding on all paramountcies within the Gonja Kingdom.”

The Damongo Member of Parliament has been accused of interfering with and meddling in the Chieftaincy issues in Damongo, which is undermining the authority of the Yagbonwura.

A New Patriotic Party(NPP) delegation made up of the Savannah Regional Minister, Saeed Muhazu Jibril, the Savannah Regional New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman, Iddrisu Sulemana, the Chieftaincy and Culture Affairs Minister, Stephen Asamoah Boateng, the Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul and other members of the party have since held a close door meeting with the King of the Gonja Kingdom over the incident. However, details of the outcome still remain sketchy.

Meanwhile, the lawmaker for Damongo has indicated that the King of the Gonja Kingdom, Yagbonwura Bii Kunuto Jewu Soale I is like a father to him and that there’s no day he would disrespect him or his authority in Gonjaland.