New Bolga Naba outdoored

The Bolgatanga Traditional Council on Friday formally swore-in a substantive Paramount Chief for the Traditional Area following the demise of the Bolga Naba, Naba Martin Adongo Abilba III.

Naba Martin Abilba III died on September 26, 2013.

The New Paramount Chief, Naba Raymond Alafia Abilba would undergo some additional traditional rites on Saturday to select a skin name from the list of eight past Paramount Chiefs of the Bolgatanga Traditional Area.

The ceremony, which was attended by hundreds of chiefs, including representatives of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu, Paramount Chiefs from some traditional areas in the Northern, Upper West and the Upper East Regions, members of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs, Civil and Public Servants as well as the public, was historic as it was the first in about 45 years.

Security presence was heavy as there were speculations of some people claiming to have been enskinned by the Overlord of the Mamprugu Traditional Area; a traditional role the Bolgatanga skin opposes vehemently.

The new Chief was made to swear ancestral oaths and allegiance to serve his subjects with utmost faith and honesty at all times, irrespective of the stature, class, level and nature of the needs of his subjects.

The Chiefs, who were accompanied by their drummers and dancers, displayed skillful dance movements, attracting applause from the crowd. The Asantehene’s entourage stole the show as they gave performed varieties of typical Asante traditional dances.

Contrary to speculations of possible clashes, the ceremony ended successfully, amidst the patrolling of Police and Military vehicles in the area.

Prior to the Friday event, there were series of skirmishes over a successor to the Bolgatanga skin even though there were signs of an obvious successor.

Naba Raymond Alafia Abilba is the first son of the late Naba Martin Abilba III. He is a lawyer by profession, and a business and mining consultant.

He has a wife and four children. He spent part of his life in Australia and was made a regent on September 9, 2014.

The Bolgatanga skin by tradition has six clans serving as an electoral college with the Apaseyelum family being the royals. The skin so far has revolved around the same family, with different compounds in the same house succeeding.

The Chieftain has been chronicled in successive arrangement as Naba Apaseyelum Atuliba; father and founder of Atulibabisi; a community where the Palace is located. He was succeeded by Naba Apaseyelum Adongo, followed by Naba Adongo Adabase, Azaanam Adabase, Naba Adongo Awogeya, Naba Awogeya Abilba I, Naba Ayindenaba Abilba II, and Naba Martin Adongo Abilba III.