The Nanung Chieftaincy Crisis, A Critical Perspective

INTRODUCTION

The Nanumba Traditional Area is one of the four Traditional Areas within the Chieftaincy institution in the Northern Region; with the Bimbila Naa as the overlord. The others are the Dagbon traditional council with the Overlord as the Yaa-naa, the Mamprusi Traditional Area with the overlord as the Nayiri and the Gonja Traditional Area having the Yagbonwora as the overlord.

These were the four established paramount chiefs in Northern Region until a recent upgrade of the other chiefdoms into paramountcies and that of the four existing paramountcies into the status of Kinship or over Lordship.

SUCCESSION PLAN TO THE NANUNG THRONE

The numerous chieftaincy crisis across the length and breadth of this country in most Traditional Areas in Ghanain recent times, has led to a strong advocacy for a conscious efforts to be made to have clearly codified line of succession in all traditional areas in Ghana. This it is believed could bea panacea for addressing the numerous chieftaincy crisis in Ghana.

It is however worthy to state that even before this increasing advocacy for a well defined line of succession to chieftaincy in most traditional areas, the Nanung Traditional area had been one of the Traditional areas in Ghana, that could pride itself to have a clearly defined hierarchy of ascension to the throne.

This ensured that for decades in the history of the area, it has remained one of the most orderly, well organized and most peacefulmeans of effecting leadership change within the Traditional Areas in the northern region.

In the historical evolution of the chieftaincy institution in the Nanung Traditional Area, two dominant chieftaincy gates eventually emerged. The Gbugmayiligate and theBangyiligates. The emergence of these gates brought harmony in the succession trendinine area wur an alternatina arrangement that was put in place between the two gates. In other words, anytime a Gbugmayilichief was on the throne and passed on, the Bangyiligate took over and vice versa.

To further streamline this arrangement, therewere designated gate Skins to each of these gates. For instance, the gateskins to the Gbugmayiligate include, Lanja-Mankayili (Bogu), Beng, Lepusi, Juanayili-Bakpaba and Nakpaa-Bimbilla (the ultimate). For the Bangyili gate, the key gate skins are Tuo-Sakpe-Gbungbaliga, Chamba, Dakpam-Bimbilla (the ultimate).The succeeding gate skin in the hierarchy of progression to the Bimbilla chieftaincy for the Gbugmayiligate is Nakpaa and that of the Bangyili gate is Dakpam.

So, by this arrangement every Bimbilla Naa who is on the throne, know clearly who his successor would be unless otherwise in exceptional circumstances. For instance, Naa Natogmah Attah Il from the Bangyili gate came to the throne of Bimbilla from Gbungbaliga because at the time of the performance of the funeral of Naa Abudulai Andani, the grandfather of Mr. Andani Dasana, the Dakpam skin was vacant because the chief had passed on and the funeral was yet to be performed.

The established hierarchical ladder of progression for any potential Bimbilla Naa to pass through to the throne of Bimbilla was not by accident. It was intended to provide sufficient training grounds for any would be paramount chief of Bimbilla to be adequately prepared for the ultimate task of providing the requisite leadership for the people of Nanung.

In the history of Nanung therefore, no Bimbilla Naa has ascended the throne without first obtaining a

chieftaincy title. Indeed, no chief without a chieftaincy title had ever been even elevated to the two succeeding gatesskins to Bimbilla. That is Nakpaa for the Gbugmayili gate and Dakpam for the Bangyiligate.

It is also worth mentioning that, apart from the BimbillaNaa, other sub chiefs under his jurisdiction can install sub-chiefs within their chiefdoms, but such sub-chiefs can not rise to the statue of Bimbilla Naa, the king of Nanung, so neither the Langiri Naa, nor the self stall kpatihi (Natogma Azindow) can install somebody to eventually become the Bimbilla Naa

It is important, however, to state that in the founding days of the Nanung Kingdom, when the chieftaincy institution was in its formative years, regents of chiefs ascended the Bimbilla throne. History recognizes Naa Gmantanbo as the founder of Nanung. It is reported that, at the time of his death, he had no son of his own and it was his sister's son

by name Naa Sulgme who became his regent and subsequently succeeded him. Otherwise it is not an established practice in Nanung for a regent to perform his father's funerial and subsequently ascend the throne immediately.

The relationship, respect, and understanding that existed between the two gates was so mutual that, it was a common practice to see a Gbugmayili Chief offering his daughter to a Bangyili chief or prince on ascension to the Throne and vice Versa.

NOTE: 9 KINGMAKERS IN NANUNG WERE TASK TO SELECT THE MOST QUALIFIED PERSON BETWEEN MR ANDANI DASANA AND NAKPAA NAA SALIFU DAWUNI TO BE INSTALLED AS THE OVERLORD OF NANUNG. THE LEADER OF THE KINGMAKERS TOGETHER WITH OTHER TWO SELECTED THEIR CANDIDATE AND INSTALLED HIM WHILE THE REMAINING SIX SUBORDINATES EQUALLY SELECTED THEIR OWN CHIEF AND ALSO INSTALLED HIM AS BIMBILA NAA. THIS CONFUSED ACTIONS OF THE KINGMAKERS IS WHAT HAVE DESTROYED NANUNG CHIEFTAINCY TILL TODAY. WHEN PEOPLE ASK YOU TO LEAVE EVERYTHING ABOUT SUCCESSION IN YENI TO THE KINGMAKERS TODAY KINDLY REFER THEM TO THIS.

By Awal, Mohammed

Thursday 7th August 2014