The Gbewa Palace has officially announced the transition of His Majesty, Ya-Na Abukari II, the 41st King of the Dagbon Kingdom. The revered monarch passed away on [Date], leaving behind a legacy of peace, unity, and cultural restoration.
In accordance with Dagbon custom and tradition, the King’s son has been appointed as the Kampakuya Na to serve as Regent of the Kingdom.
In this capacity, he will act as the traditional caretaker, overseeing the affairs of the Dagbon throne and ensuring the continuity of the kingdom’s governance until a new Ya-Na is enskinned.
Born circa the 1940s, Ya-Na Abukari II was a direct descendant of Dagbon royalty. He was born at Mion to Mahama II, who reigned as Yaa Naa from 1938 until his passing on February 6, 1948. His mother, Ayishetu, was a princess from Kulunkpegu, a community near Chaazaadaanyili.
His Majesty’s journey to the Yendi skin was marked by decades of dedicated public service. He first undertook chieftaincy duties as the chief of Kpunkpono, before being elevated to the position of Savelugu Na, one of the three gate chiefs eligible to ascend to the paramountcy.
The enskinment of Ya-Na Abukari II on January 18, 2019, marked a historic turning point for Dagbon. His ascension came after a protracted 17-year chieftaincy dispute following the tragic assassination of Ya-Na Yakubu Andani on March 27, 2002, an event that plunged the kingdom and the nation into mourning.
For nearly two decades, the Abudu and Andani factions were locked in a conflict that left the Yendi skins vacant. In a landmark intervention, a committee of eminent chiefs, comprising the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II; the Yagbonwura, Tuntumba Boresa Sulemana Jakpa I; and the Nayiri, Naa Bohogu Abdulai Mahami Sheriga, was constituted to find a lasting resolution to the impasse.
Their efforts culminated in the historic restoration of peace on January 18, 2019, when kingmakers of Dagbon formally enskinned Ya-Na Abukari II as the 41st Ya-Na.
His reign was widely celebrated as a symbol of reconciliation, unity, and the reaffirmation of Dagbon’s rich cultural heritage.
Under Dagbon custom and tradition, succession to the Yendi skin is reserved for three paramount chiefs, the Karaga-Na, the Yoo-Na, and the Mion-Lana.
These gate chiefs represent the recognised royal gates from which a new Ya-Na is selected. The institution remains one of the most respected traditional kingdoms in Ghana, grounded in history, respect, unity, and deep cultural values.
The Gbewa Palace has called for calm and prayers as the kingdom enters a period of transition, and has assured the people of Dagbon that all customary rites will be duly observed.