“Much ado about nothing”—the best description to be ascribed to the visit of President Akufo-Addo to the Jakpa Palace today, 14th October 2024.
The President was at his usual self when he took a direct swipe at the Yagbonwura in full view of the public. The Yagbonwura’s “crime” was simply a harmless appeal he made to the President, asking him to admonish his appointees to desist from their incessant disrespect towards him and the time-tested customs of the people of the Gonja Kingdom.
In his speech, the Yagbonwura appealed to President Akufo-Addo to caution some of his appointees, who had been disrespecting him by using their political power to undermine the established customs and traditions of the Gonja Kingdom.
The customs and traditions of the Gonja Kingdom are clear: no subservient paramount chief in the Kingdom is allowed to celebrate the Damba Festival before the Yagbonwura. It has never happened, and it ought not to have happened. In light of this, the Yagbonwura reported in his speech that some of the President’s appointees aided and fully supported one of his sub-chiefs in celebrating the Damba Festival before him, the Yagbonwura. This was in clear violation of the Kingdom’s customs.
Indeed, the Yagbonwura indicated that the said appointee had even sent heavily armed military personnel to protect the sub-chief in this sacrilegious act, undermining both the Yagbonwura and the customs and traditions of the Gonja people.
What the said appointee may not know is that a prominent paramount chief in Gonjaland had contacted him to confirm his involvement in this act (disrespecting the Yagbonwura) following an inquiry by an emissary of the Yagbonwura. So, before the Yagbonwura made this information public, he had already verified and double-checked his facts.
As usual, the President not only sounded dismissive and defensive of his appointees but boldly told the Yagbonwura that his report was FALSE. The President, in fact, said that according to the briefings he had received from his Regional Minister, Hon. Muhaz Saeed Jibril, no such incident had occurred in Gonjaland, and none of his appointees had aided or abetted the paramount chief in committing any such abominable act.
Angered by being called a liar, the Yagbonwura ordered his vehicles to leave the durbar grounds while the President was still delivering his speech. True to his word, the Yagbonwura left the durbar grounds while Akufo-Addo continued his address. The President even remarked that he was displeased with the Yagbonwura for making such information public.
The President’s speech, which was deliberately written to attack former President Mahama, did just that in grand style. Yes, Akufo-Addo used the occasion to insult and attack former President John Dramani Mahama, a royal and warrior of the Gonja Kingdom.
In the end, the Yagbonwura walked out on Akufo-Addo for calling him a liar in public. When we said President Akufo-Addo and his appointees don’t respect chiefs as traditional authorities, this is truly the height of it. What the President doesn’t realize is that the sons and grandsons of Ndewura Jakpa are a proud people who will never tolerate disrespect in any form, not even from the President of the Republic. Kudos to the Yagbonwura for showing leadership and bravery once again. The entire Kegbanye, minus the NPP appointees in Gonjaland, are proud of you, Jira Bii-Kunuto Jewu Soale 1. May your reign be long.
Shalom!
The writer, Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese, is the Youth Imam from Laribanga
