Ya Naa rounds off Damba festival in Yendi

The overload of Dagbon, His Royal Eminence Ya Naa Abukari Mahama II on Saturday climaxed the annual Damba festival of the chiefs and people of Dagbon at a colourful and well attended ceremony in Yendi.

Damba signifies the birth and naming of the Holy Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (SAW) by Dagbamba in the Northern Region, Mamprusi in the North East Region, Gonjas in the Savannah Region and the Waala in the Upper West Region of Ghana.

This year's Damba was historic as it is celebrated in unison in Dagbon after years of conflicts in the kingdom.

Prior to the climax, all chiefs in Dagbon celebrated the Somo Damba and Naa Damba at their various Palaces. The festival brought all the Paramount Chiefs to the traditional capital of Yendi for the celebration.

Present were the South African High Commissioner, Representatives from the US Embassy, District Chief Executives, Parliamentarians, Ministers, CEOs, and Deputy CEOs as well as the president of the Republic of Ghana, HE Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo.

The Yana in a speech thanked President Nana Addo and all past Presidents in the fourth Republic for their collective efforts to ensure peace in Dagbon and promised to work to consolidate it. He also promised to work towards peace in the Nanung Traditional Area.

The Overlord used the occasion to appeal to the President to upgrade the Yendi Hospital, improve the state of roads in the Northern Region and appealed for the government to do something about the Yendi water crisis.

The Yana also disclosed that he has released 500-acre land for UDS satellite campus in Yendi.

The President in his remarks expressed his greatest happiness for seeing Dagbon celebrate the Damba festival with a Ya Naa after several years.

He called on all the chiefs and sons of Dagbon to rally behind the Ya Naa to consolidate the peace of Dagbon and expressed his readiness and that of his government to support Dagbon the best way that he can.

He enumerated some developmental projects that have come to Dagbon and hinted of those yet to come which will all inure to the development of the area.

The President in recognition of his sterling role towards permanent peace in Dagbon was enskinned by the Ya Naa as the Dagbon Maliti- Naa of Dagbon as part of the activities to climax the celebration.