Bole Traditional Council inaugurated

The Bole Traditional Council of the Gonja Kingdom was on 26th January 2023, inaugurated by the Ag. Chief Director of the Ministry for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Fati Lily Soale on behalf of the Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ebenezer Kojo Kum.

This follows its official creation by the Ministry for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs through the Savannah Regional House of Chiefs.

Presenting the speech of the Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Lily Soale, said the Minister sends his greetings and gratitude to the Bolewura and his chief and added that the President of the Republic Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo attaches much prominence to the administration of Chieftaincy in the country because chiefs play an important role in maintaining peace in the country.

She said it was the ministry’s mandate to develop an effective interface between the government, traditional authorities, religious bodies and civil societies on matters that relate to chieftaincy and religious affairs for the promotion of peace.

Miss Soale added that in the past, the role of Chiefs was to lead their people to wars, protect and extend their territories but now they are required to lead a war against environmental degradation, poverty reduction among others that is aimed at achieving development at the local and national level.

She called on the chiefs to get to understand the processes and procedures involved in resolving conflicts through the judicial and arbitration system and other alternative methods in resolving conflicts that may arise in the traditional area.

She further added that they need to know the processes involved in land allocation, granting leases and land administration in general and also have to know some of the laws that cover the chieftaincy institution.

She also congratulated the chiefs for their elevation to the council status and said there is a lot of work to be done adding that the inauguration should be seen to integrate the people of the traditional area to work hand-in-hand for endless development and cautioned that they don’t want them to be disintegrated by the inauguration.

Miss Fati Lily Soale therefore on behalf of the Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs duly inaugurated the Bole Traditional Council and wished the Bolewura and his chiefs to remain united.

In a welcome address, the Chairman of the occasion and representative of Bolewura Sarfo Kutuge Feso (I), Paramount Chief of the Bole Traditional Area, Mandariwura Isaac Mumuni Dramani said "Bolewura on behalf of the Chiefs and people of Bole Traditional Area, Bolewura Sarfo Kutuge Feso (I) expressed his profound gratitude to the Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Hon. Ebenezer Kojo Kum and to the Overlord of Gonja and President of the Savannah Regional House of Chiefs Yagbonwura Tutumba Boresa (I) for this great honour."

He added; “I am very delighted to welcome you all, most especially our beloved daughter Miss Fati Lily Soale to Bole for the official inauguration of the Bole Traditional Council.”

Bolewura said Bole is part of Miss Fati Lily Soale having been born and bred there and for that matter, she and staff of Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs were at home.

“This day is one of the memorable days that will go down in the history of this great traditional area,” he said.

Bolewura said the Bole Traditional Area is the pivot of the Gonja Kingdom (Yagbon) where Gonja customs and traditional practices normally start and end. It is no surprise to be the first traditional area of Gonja Kingdom to be created as the Bole Traditional Council.

Bolewura explained that the mission statement of the Traditional Council is to provide efficient structures for proper local traditional governance and documentation with information management.

Bolewura entreated all members and Chiefs of the Bole Traditional Area to be guarded by this mission statement of the Council at all times.

He said the Bole Traditional Area has three great Royal Gates; Sarfope Gate, Jargape Gate and the Denkeripe Gate and that the Bole Traditional Area of the Gonja state is the biggest traditional area in terms of land size and pollution and covers about 90% of both the Bole and Sawla-Tuna Kalba Districts. It has over 160 Chiefs and 50 Queen Mothers under one great Paramount Chief; the Bolewura.

The Registrar for the Savannah Regional House of Chiefs, Mr. Abutu Kapori introduced the Council members of 30 who were sworn in by the Bole District Magistrate His Worship Edward Essel who led the members to swear three Oaths; the Oath of Membership, Oath of Judiciary and the Oath of secrecy.

The Registrar explained that those that have been called to the Council are those that have been gazetted, and further called on those who have not been gazetted yet to come and register their names with him for gazette so that they will also be part of the council.

Mr. Kapori said Bolewura Safo Kutuge Feso (I) is the life President of the Bole Traditional council since there is only one Paramountcy in the Bole Traditional Area.

Mr. Kapori added that a gazette of a Chief goes to confirm the importance of the chieftaincy institution in the Republic of Ghana stating that article 270 of the 1992 constitution guarantees chieftaincy and its traditional council.

He also said that as a Chief is registered, he or she has many opportunities that come their way as they move along in the chieftaincy institution.

He mentioned that when a chief is registered, it makes it easier for the person to travel out of the country when the need arises because the ministry will have to get the gazette number of the said chief and then give approval of the chieftaincy of the person.

He admonished the chiefs who have taken the three oaths to administer fairness and justice when they are asked to find lasting solutions to cases that may be put before them.

The District Chief Executive for Bole Madam Veronica Alele Heming also expressed her excitement for being part of the historic event of the inauguration of the Bole Traditional Council.

She entreated the Members of the Council to work in unity and the spirit of conscientious building with the collective development of the traditional area.

She also urged the council members to bring their rich experience to bear on the life of the people, adding that it is significant to take note of the laws of the country in their rulings.

She promised that the district assembly will continue to support and collaborate with the council for the development of the district.

She commended the ministry and all those who made sure the council was created and Inaugurated.

Meanwhile, Miss Fati Lily Soale was elevated to the status of a Queen mother in the Bole Traditional Area by the Paramount Chief of the Bole Traditional Area Bolewura Sarfo Kutuge Feso(I). She was given the title Kananpewurche, for the good works and efforts she put up for the development of the Bole Traditional Area and Gonja Kingdom as a whole.

Miss Fati Lily Soale who was taken through the Traditional enskinment of a Queen mother in the Bole Traditional Area expressed her happiness describing her enskinment as a surprise.

An emotional Kananpewurche expressed worry that her late father was not there to have witnessed her enskinment.

She promised that she will make sure that she will handle her new title with care and make sure that she will also get gazetted and make sure that she is always around when she is needed.