MTN Ghana has presented a cheque of GH¢20,000 to the Overlord of the Gonja Kingdom, Yagbonwura Bii-Kunuto Jewu Soale I, in support of the 2026 Yagbon Damba Festival in the Savannah Region.
The presentation, made on Friday, August 28, 2026, forms part of the telecommunications company’s support for traditional institutions and cultural activities across the country.
The company also presented airtime worth GH¢1,000, 20 crates of bottled water and 20 crates of soft drinks, intended to support the Yagbonwura in hosting and welcoming guests during the festival.
Presenting the items, MTN Ghana’s Savannah Regional Manager, Matthew Abugbilla, said the company recognised the cultural and traditional importance of Damba to the Gonja people and considered its support a contribution towards a successful celebration.
He said MTN Ghana remained committed to supporting Ghana’s cultural heritage and working with traditional authorities and communities to promote activities that strengthened social cohesion.
The donation was received on behalf of the Yagbonwura by Chanpewura Dr Abdullahi Issah Bakari, a sub-chief from Tuluwe.
Dr Bakari expressed appreciation to MTN Ghana for its continued support to the Yagbonwura and the people of Gonjaland, saying the company had consistently demonstrated its commitment to the traditional authority during important occasions.
He also commended MTN for the role its telecommunications services play in connecting people, particularly families and communities separated by distance.
According to him, the company’s support went beyond the material items presented, describing it as an indication of a partnership that had contributed to the wellbeing and development of communities in the Gonja traditional area.
Damba and Gonja heritage
The Yagbon Damba is one of the major traditional festivals of the Gonja people and is held in high esteem across Gonjaland. The festival combines Islamic heritage with Gonja traditional culture and chieftaincy.
Damba is traditionally associated with the commemoration of the birth of the Prophet Muhammad, although its contemporary celebration places strong emphasis on the preservation and glorification of chieftaincy, culture and traditional identity.
The festival is characterised by colourful traditional pageantry, drumming and dancing, horseback processions, musketry displays and gatherings at the palaces of traditional rulers. It also provides an opportunity for families and communities to reunite, strengthen social bonds and reflect on issues affecting their communities.
At the Yagbon level, the festival has increasingly served as a platform for the Overlord and traditional leaders to address issues of peace, unity, cultural preservation and development.
At the 2025 Yagbon Damba, for instance, Yagbonwura Bii-Kunuto Jewu Soale I used the occasion to call for unity, peace, preservation of Gonja culture and increased investment in education in the Savannah Region.
Dr Bakari also highlighted the Yagbonwura’s commitment to peace, describing him as a peaceful chief and peacemaker who continues to promote unity and development among the people.
He said the support from MTN Ghana was therefore timely as the Gonja Kingdom prepared to celebrate its heritage and welcome sons, daughters and guests to the 2026 Yagbon Damba Festival.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
