Pishigu Lana Alhassan Andani robbed in the traditional outfit of his new office
Alhassan Andani, Managing Director of Stanbic Bank has been enskinned Pishigu Lana an important traditional position in the Dagbon chieftaincy hierarchy.
He succeeds the late Pishugu Lana Ziblim, an educationist who was on the skin for 32 years.
The position is a preserve of princes of Yani or Yendi and like other traditional positions in Dagbon, it is a preserve of the Overlord or in this case, the Regent Kampankuya Naa to appoint and enskin.
The enskinment was made yesterday after 13 other qualified princes contested for the highly coveted position but failed to make it as the banker overshadowed them all. A Pishigu Lana, by Dagbon traditional standards, can graduate to become a Yaa Naa when the position becomes vacant one day.
The mantle fell on him when the traditional cola from the Overlord was given to him signaling that he has been chosen as contestants were on tenterhooks awaiting the decision of the Kampakuya Naa the regent. Following this, the enskinment was done and the accompanying traditional protocol ensued.
The Pishigu Lana was earlier tipped to take over Sagnarigu as the Sagnari Naa when his elder brother the late Dr. Andani Andan, the first Director of the Police Hospital who occupied the position passed on but that was not to be as another royal was enskinned.
All royal blooded persons seek one day to assume the positions held by their forebears and Pishigu Lana Alhassan Andani is no exception.
The position does not restrict him to living entirely in Pishigu and for that matter in Dagbon, as it is allowed to shuttle between the seat of his authority and Accra where he holds his position as the head of one of the leading financial institutions in the country and as President of the Ghana Bankers Association.
By A.R. Gomda