The Sing Traditional Area in Ghana’s Upper West Region has marked a decade of leadership by its Paramount Queenmother, Pognaa Salma Chaana Abdul-Razak, who is celebrated as the youngest paramount queenmother alive.

The milestone has been described by traditional leaders and community members as a journey defined by grace, resilience and unwavering dedication to culture, even in the face of significant challenges.

Speaking during activities to commemorate the anniversary, Pognaa Salma Chaana Abdul-Razak reflected on her reign as one shaped by both blessings and hardships, noting that perseverance and commitment to duty have been central to overcoming obstacles.

“I am proud of my roots, my culture and my traditions,” she said, emphasising that leadership within the traditional institution demands endurance, sacrifice and a deep sense of responsibility to future generations.

Over the past ten years, the queenmother has been a vocal advocate for cultural preservation, particularly among the youth, warning against the gradual erosion of indigenous values and practices.

She called on Ghanaians to reconnect with their heritage by embracing local traditions, including food, language and communal values, as a way of strengthening identity and national cohesion.

At the heart of her message was a renewed appeal for a return to indigenous diets, which she described as not only culturally significant but also essential for good health.

She urged families to reintroduce children to traditional meals such as dawadawa jollof, tumpaani, tuo zaafi (TZ) with johjoh soup, jangjahga, kongtong soup, gabele, wasawasa, kaaha, maasa and kaara, among others.

According to her, these meals sustained earlier generations, contributing to strength, longevity and productivity, and should not be abandoned in favour of heavily processed foods.

“We must not allow our children, our future leaders, to fail in upholding our culture simply because we failed,” she said, adding that it is not too late to revive practices that once defined Ghanaian and African societies.

The queenmother also linked traditional diets to modern health concerns, calling for a shift in focus from curative to preventive healthcare through nutrition.

“It is time to eat our food as medicine, not our medicine as food,” she said, stressing that lifestyle choices, particularly diet, play a critical role in overall wellbeing.

As the Sing Traditional Area celebrates a decade of her reign, community members have praised Pognaa Salma Chaana Abdul-Razak for combining youthful leadership with a strong commitment to tradition.

The anniversary has been framed not only as a celebration of longevity in office, but also as a reminder of the enduring relevance of traditional institutions in shaping culture, health and national identity.