Former Vice President and New Patriotic Party (NPP) Flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has called on newly installed Regent Kampakuya Naa Yakubu to protect Dagbon’s legacy of peace and unity.
Dr Bawumia made the appeal at Gbewaa Palace in Yendi on Friday, where he also paid an emotional tribute to the late Ya-Na Abukari Mahama II.
Addressing chiefs, elders and people of Dagbon during the installation ceremony, Dr Bawumia spoke not only as a political leader but also as someone who shared a personal bond with the late overlord.
His speech was delivered in Dagbani and included memories, proverbs and prayers. He said his relationship with the late Ya-Na began in Savelugu, rather than Yendi, when Abukari Mahama II was serving as Yoo-Naa.
“My relationship with the late Ya-Na did not begin in Yendi. It began in Savelugu, when he was Yoo-Naa,” Dr Bawumia said.
He recalled visiting Savelugu in 2016 during the election campaign, when he was the NPP running mate, to pay homage to the Yoo-Naa.
Dr Bawumia used a proverb to explain the political message he had intended to deliver during that visit.
“I said to the Yoo-Naa: If a man has two wives, and he only tastes the soup of one wife, how will he know which of them cooks the better soup?”
The remark prompted laughter among those gathered at the ceremony. Chiefs and elders, including President John Mahama, were said to have erupted in laughter.
Dr Bawumia then explained the meaning behind the comparison.
“What I meant,” Dr Bawumia said, “was that the people of Dagbon should also try the NPP.”
As he spoke further about the late Ya-Na, however, the light-hearted mood gave way to a more solemn reflection on the former leader’s role in Dagbon.
Dr Bawumia described Ya-Na Abukari Mahama II as a father figure whose wisdom, patience and commitment to peace helped consolidate the unity of Dagbon following a period of disturbances.
He said the relationship they formed in Savelugu continued after the late Ya-Na ascended the traditional throne in Yendi, describing their bond as “one of warmth and deep respect”.
The focus of the ceremony then turned to Kampakuya Naa Yakubu, who was being installed as the new Regent.
Dr Bawumia congratulated the Regent and offered prayers for him. He also urged the new traditional leader, together with the people of Dagbon, to safeguard the peace and unity associated with the legacy of the late Ya-Na.
The installation ceremony reflected the importance of Dagbon’s traditional customs. It featured traditional regalia, drumming and dancing, while people travelled from near and far to attend the occasion at Gbewaa Palace.
The event brought together chiefs, elders, subjects and national figures as Dagbon marked the installation of its new Regent and remembered the contribution of the late Ya-Na Abukari Mahama II to peace in the area.
