The Gbewaa Palace will today Thursday, July 16 hold the third-day Adua (Islamic prayers for the dead) in honour of the late Overlord of Dagbon, Yaa-Naa Abubakari Mahama II.
Thousands of mourners are expected to converge on Yendi, the traditional capital Dagbon, to pray for the peaceful repose of the revered monarch.
The prayer session, scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. at the Gbewaa Palace, is expected to attract chiefs, Islamic clerics, politicians, government appointees, traditional rulers, and sons and daughters of Dagbon from across Ghana and beyond.
The Northern Regional Chief Imam is expected to lead the prayers, assisted by other eminent Islamic clerics from Yendi and across the Northern Region.
Palace elders are also expected to announce the date for the final funeral rites of the late King at the conclusion of the Adua, a development many mourners and traditional authorities are awaiting as the kingdom continues to observe its elaborate mourning rites.
The third-day prayers form an important part of the Islamic observances following the passing of the Yaa-Naa, whose death has drawn an outpouring of condolences from traditional rulers, diplomatic missions, political leaders, religious organisations, business executives and citizens across Ghana and beyond.
Meanwhile, security has been significantly tightened in and around Yendi ahead of today’s event.
The Inspector-General of Police has deployed nearly 500 police officers to provide security and maintain law and order during the prayers and other related activities.
Briefing the media ahead of the event, Naa Nyab Sing-Lana, COP Alhaji Iddi Lansah Seidu, Director-General in charge of Technical at the Ghana Police Service, assured the public that comprehensive security arrangements have been put in place to ensure the peaceful, orderly and successful observance of both the traditional and Islamic rites.
He urged mourners, residents and visitors to cooperate fully with security personnel and comply with all directives to guarantee an incident-free ceremony.
Naa Nyab Sing-Lana also cautioned the youth against carrying sophisticated weapons or any offensive implements, warning that anyone found violating the law would be arrested and dealt with accordingly.
His appeal reinforces an earlier directive from the Gbewaa Palace banning the possession and use of live ammunition during the funeral rites. Palace authorities have stressed that the late Yaa-Naa never supported the use of live ammunition during traditional ceremonies and have urged mourners to honour his legacy by ensuring a peaceful, safe and dignified farewell.
Today’s Adua is expected to be one of the largest gatherings since the formal announcement of the King’s passing, with Yendi set to host hundreds of chiefs, government officials, politicians, religious leaders and mourners as Dagbon continues to honour a monarch whose reign is widely remembered for promoting peace, reconciliation and unity across the ancient kingdom.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
