Gonja king blesses Jinapor as his worthy grandson

Sources close to the Jakpa Palace has revealed that the King and Overlord of Gonja Kingdom, Yagbonwura Bii-kunuto Jewu Soale I, has expressed his satisfaction with matters involving the Damongo Chieftaincy and the Member of Parliament for the Damongo Constituency, who doubles as the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor. This was after Mr. Jinapor, in the company of some Government officials, called on the Yagbonwura on Thursday, 1^st August, 2024 to explain his side of the story to him. The King blessed him, noting that he is his worthy grandson.

The were reports, some time last month, that the Yagbonwura has banned the Member of Parliament from entering the Jakpa Palace and all other palaces within the Kingdom, and had directed Chiefs in Gonjalnd not to grant audience to any group that included the Minister.

The reports said the decision of the Yagbonwura followed certain actions that were deemed reprehensible by the Chiefs and people of Gonjaland, including the Minister’s refusal to the see to the transfer of some officials from the Gonja Traditional Council and the Savannah Regional House of Chiefs, at the request of the Chiefs, as well as his refusal to see to the release of some people who were arrested within the Savannah Region. The Minister was, also, alleged to be interfering with matters relating to the Damongo Skin.

Following these reports, the Minister, issued a Statement affirming his high regard for the chieftaincy institution, the Yagbonwura and all other chiefs for that matter. He, also, indicated that he has no interest in the Damongo chieftaincy affairs, and that he was committed to serving people of Damongo as their Member of Parliament, and the people Ghana as a Minister.

Subsequently, the President of the Republic sent a delegation led by the Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Hon. Stephen Asamoah Boateng, to meet with the Yagbonwura to resolve the issue. The President’s delegation included the Minister for Defence, Hon. Dominic Nitiwul, Savannah Region’s representative on the Council of State, Hon. Pkogriwura Adam Zakaria, the Savannah Regional Minister, Hon. Saeed Muhazu Jibril, and the Savannah Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Alhaji Iddrisu Sulemana.

Following extensive engagement with the President’s delegation, Mr. Jinapor, in the company of some Government officials, called on the Yagbonwura at his Palace on Thursday, 1^st August, 2024. Sources close to the Palace indicates that the Minister used the opportunity to explain his side of the story to the Yagbonwura, and reaffirmed his high regard and respect for the Chieftaincy institution in general, and the Yagbonwura and other Chiefs of the Gonjaland in particularly, as a Prince of Gonjaland.

The Yagbonwura, according to reports from the Palace, after listening to the Minister, expressed satisfaction with his explanation. He said he had always known the Minister to be a respectful person, who will never denigrate the Chieftaincy institution, nor disrespect him the Yagbonwura as his grandfather. The King said as a Prince of the land, he was certain that the Minister was well versed in the customs and traditions of Gonja, and will not engage in acts that would be deemed disrespectful to the Chiefs and people of Gonja.

He added that he was genuinely concerned about the reports he was hearing, which resulted in some of the pronouncements that were made which was aimed at protecting the dignity of the Chiefs and people of Gonja.

The Yagbonwura thanked the Minister for his humility and for commitment to getting the matters resolved. He blessed him as his proud grandson, adding that he is always welcomed to the Jakpa Palace and all other palaces in Gonja for that matter.

Meanwhile, supporters of one of the claimants to the Damongo skin has called on the Savannah Regional House of Chiefs to deliver its judgment in the Damongo Chieftaincy dispute which has been pending before the Judicial Committee of the House since 2016. According to the group, although hearing in the matter has concluded and both parties have filed their respective addresses, the Judicial Committee has failed to deliver its judgment, despite serving notices of judgment on 27^th January, and 15^th February, 2023. They said the judgment of the House of Chiefs is necessary to bring finality to the dispute and prevent the recurrent clashes that occur being the disputing parties and their supporters.