Yagbonwura Bi-kunuto Jewu Soale I
A delegation formed by the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has stormed the palace of the Overlord of the Gonja Traditional Area, Yagbonwura Bi-kunuto Jewu Soale I, in Damongo, Savannah Region.
The delegation was led by the Savannah Regional Minister, Saeed Muhazu Jibril, accompanied by the Savannah Regional New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman, Iddrisu Sulemana; Chieftaincy and Culture Affairs Minister, Stephen Asamoah Boateng, and Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul.
The purpose of the visit by the delegation to the Yagbonwura’s palace is to intercede on behalf of the Damongo Member of Parliament, Samuel Abu Jinapor, over the ban by Yagbonwura from accessing any palace in the Gonjaland traditional area and to plead for the Gonja King to forgive the Damongo MP.
The delegation held a closed-door meeting with the Yagbonwura and his elders at his residence in Damongo.
The delegation, after the meeting, however, declined to brief the media about the outcome of the meeting with the Yagbonwura.
The Overlord of the Gonja Traditional Area, Yagbonwura Bi-kunuto Jewu Soale I, banned the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Damongo Constituency who doubles as the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, from accessing all Gonjaland paramountcies.
“No paramount chief should grant audience to any government delegation, political party or any person who pays them a visit, once it includes Samuel Abu Jinapor, until he learns his tradition as a royal and learn how to respect the authority of the Yagbonwura, and this statement is final and binding on all paramountcies within the Gonja Kingdom,” the Yagbonwura stated.
The Yagbonwura warned all paramountcies that should any of them allow the Damongo MP into their palaces, he would punish them severely.
The MP for Damongo Constituency, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has been accused of meddling in the Damongo chieftaincy matters in the Damongo Traditional Area.
However, the Damongo MP has indicated that the Yagbonwura is his father and that he would not do anything to disrespect the king.
A youth group calling itself Youth of Gonjaland Kingdom, after the Yagbonwura’s statement, embarked on a peaceful demonstration in Damongo to express their anger over the disrespect and undermining towards the Yagbonwura by the Damongo MP.
They marched through the streets of Damongo with red hand bands, chanting war songs with drumming and dancing.
The Chief of Sakpala, Jantonwura Peter Awusi, speaking to journalists said some politicians use the power of government to circumvent the traditional authority and orders of the Yagbonwura in an attempt to evade accountability and to counter the orders so given by the Yagbonwura.
“This is mostly done deliberately in order to get the Yagbonwura feel worthless, powerless and of no value in the eye of the public. If we were to look on and allow such characters to get away with their conducts, it goes to say that all of us gathered here are complicit and are liable to the consequences arising from any such insubordination from these politicians and some of the chiefs.
“Our gathering is to send a strong caution to these characters in political clothings, to stay off chieftaincy issues and not to get closer at undermining the authority of the Yagbonwura,” he said.
BY Eric Kombat, Damongo