The Tamale Dakpema, Naa Fuseini Bawa Bembarigu, has been attacked by unknown assailants at his palace Monday morning, March 7, 2022. The Chief according to sources closer to the palace sustained gunshot wounds.
The Dakpema Saha Naa confirmed to THE CUSTODIAN that the Chief was rushed to the Tamale Teaching Hospital where he is receiving medical attention.
The gunmen raided the Dakpema Palace and fired several ammunitions and destroyed other properties at the palace but it is unclear what occasioned the shooting incident.
Background
There has been bad blood between the Tamale Dakpema and the Gulkpe Naa, Alhaji Abdulai Alhassan, over supremacy in the metropolis.
Tension keeps rising in the Tamale metropolis in recent months due to the stalemate and residents fear this would disturb the peace and security of the northern regional capital and affect economic activities in the city.
The Overlord of Dagbon, Ya Naa Abukari II, issued a communiqué to clarify the status of the two traditional authorities.
According to the King, the Gulkpe Na as a representative of the Ya Naa in Tamale is the paramount chief of the metropolis whereas the Dakpema is a chief priest.
He explained, “Naa Yaba Gulkple Naa is the Paramount Chief of the Gulkpegu Traditional Area and in charge of the Greater Tamale Metropolis. He is the official representative of His Majesty Ndan Ya Na in Tamale. The present confusion is arising from the fact that some of the role players in the traditional system have deliberately assumed roles that, by Dagbon custom, they are not supposed to play. The Tamale Dakpema is particularly guilty of this and it is surprising because he knows the truth. He is not a chief but a Tindana (Fetish Priest).”
In a correspondence dated February 20, 2022, the Ya Na expressed concern about “the glaring but needless confusion in the Tamale area, particularly between Naa Yab’a and Tamale Dakpema on one hand and also between Tamale Dakpema and Tamale Buglana (both Tindaanima) on the other hand.
“It is particularly worrying that this is happening because there are clear-cut roles associated with all positions in the kingdom which all chiefs and other traditional office holders, including Tindaanima, are conversant with,” Ya Na said.
