The Gbewaa Palace in Yendi fell silent before sunrise as Yaa Naa Abubakari II, the Overlord of Dagbon, was laid to rest at the royal mausoleum in accordance with Dagbon traditional customs.

The burial, conducted at dawn, followed customary rites led by the Kuga Naa, the traditional father of Dagbon, and the Dagbon Consecrated Council of Elders.

The solemn ceremony marked the final farewell to the 41st Yaa Naa, whose reign was defined by efforts to consolidate peace and reconciliation in the Dagbon Kingdom.

Drums that had echoed through Yendi during the mourning period were lowered to a subdued rhythm as the body of the late king was conveyed to the palace for the final rites.

According to tradition, proceedings began with the formal announcement by the Kuga Naa, followed by the purification of the palace ahead of the burial.

Security was reinforced around Yendi as chiefs whose skins are directly derived from the Yaa Naa gathered at the forecourt of the Gbewaa Palace to honour the late overlord.

Royal drummers recited the lineage of the king in solemn tones, a marked departure from the triumphant bangumanga rhythms associated with a reigning Yaa Naa.

The burial took place inside the royal mausoleum at the palace, as is customary for overlords of Dagbon. Only a select group of elders and family members were present during the final rites.

Yaa Naa Abubakari II was enskinned on January 25, 2019, at the age of 87, following years of mediation by the Committee of Eminent Chiefs to resolve the long-standing Dagbon chieftaincy dispute.

His ascension to the throne brought an end to a prolonged period of uncertainty following the 2002 conflict between the Andani and Abudu royal gates.

During his reign, he was widely regarded as a symbol of reconciliation and worked to strengthen unity within the kingdom after years of division.

Traditional leaders and dignitaries from across the region joined residents of Yendi for the funeral ceremonies to pay their respects to the late king.

With the burial completed, Dagbon tradition now moves to the next stage of succession — the enskinement of a Regent.

The late Yaa Naa’s eldest son is expected to be enskinned as Kpampayaa Naa in the coming days. The Regent will oversee the administration of Dagbon with the support of the Council of Elders until the final funeral rites are performed and a new Yaa Naa is selected.

For now, Yendi and the wider Dagbon Kingdom remain in mourning as they reflect on the legacy of a king whose reign was closely associated with peace and restoration.