Ya Na celebrates first Bugum festival

The Overlord of Dagbon, Ndan Ya Na Abukari Mahama II on Monday, 9 September 2019, led the people of Dagbon to celebrate the annual Bugum (Fire) festival in the Yendi municipality of the Northern region.

The fire festival is one of the ancient celebrations marked by descendants of Na Gbewa. The festival was banned in Yendi for several years after the murder of the late Ya Na Yakubu Abdulai Andani II in 2002.

Peace was restored to the kingdom in January this year with the coronation of a new King, after deliberations for many years at the Asantehene-led mediation committee.  The peace pack also ensured the successful performance of the funerals of the late two Overlords, Ya Na Mahamudu Abdulai and Ya Na Yakubu Abdulai Andani II.

The Ya Na dressed up in traditional regalia and in line with the tradition, lights the torch to signify the beginning of the celebration. Hundreds of the youth who have never witness a Ya Na celebrating the festival and sub Chiefs in the area massed up at the forecourt of the Gbewa Palace last night to join the King to celebrate it.

The procession march through the streets of Yendi amidst drumming, singing and firing of locally manufactured guns. An elated Northern regional Minister, Mr. Salifu Saeed who joined the King of Dagbon to celebrate the festival described the event as a significant milestone towards enhancing and sustaining the peace process in the region.

He said this is a manifestation of the commitment of the Akufo-Addo government to permanently resolve the chieftaincy crisis in the area. He noted: “For several years, 17 years, we haven’t had fire festival celebrated by a living Ya Na, so today is a very significant day and I come here on behalf of the President with the Yendi Municipal Chief Executive to join Na Gbewa to mark the celebration.”

Mr. Saeed believes the new year will come with a more enhance peace and development in the area and prayed never for Dagbon to return to violence.

Class News observed the celebrants moving freely and crisscrossing each in the procession without the usual heavy security deployment to prevent violence and riots.  Only a few security officers were seen policing the town, signifying the oneness and togetherness the people have long yearned for.

Meanwhile, the Mionlana Alhaji Abdulai Mahamadu, Yoo Naa Abdulai Yakubu Andani V and all paramount Chiefs including Tolon and Kumbungu all celebrated the festival in their jurisdictions.