Thousands of mourners from across Ghana on Thursday converged on the Gbewaa Palace in Yendi for the third-day Adua (Islamic prayers for the dead) in honour of the late Overlord of Dagbon, Yaa-Naa Abubakari Mahama II.
The solemn gathering brought together chiefs, Islamic clerics, government officials, politicians, traditional rulers, and sons and daughters of Dagbon to offer prayers for the peaceful repose of the revered monarch, whose passing was formally announced on Monday in accordance with the customs and traditions of the Dagbon Kingdom.
The prayers were led by senior Islamic clerics, who offered special supplications for Allah’s mercy upon the late King and prayed for peace, unity and strength for the Royal Family, the chiefs and the people of Dagbon during the period of mourning.
The third-day Adua marks an important milestone in the Islamic funeral observances for the late Yaa-Naa and precedes the next stages of the kingdom’s elaborate funeral rites.
Briefing journalists at the Gbewaa Palace, the Public Relations Officer of the Palace, Mr. Musah, said the elders of Dagbon would announce the date for the seventh-day Adua after the conclusion of Thursday’s prayers.
According to him, the seventh-day prayers will be the final Islamic observance in honour of the late monarch before the kingdom proceeds with the remaining customary rites associated with the transition.
He explained that once the Islamic rites have been completed, attention will shift to the traditional processes that will eventually culminate in the final funeral rites of the late Yaa-Naa and, subsequently, the selection and enskinment of a new Overlord of Dagbon in accordance with centuries-old customs.
Mr. Musah further noted that the Kampakuya-Naa, who currently serves as Regent of Dagbon, will continue to oversee the affairs of the kingdom during the transition period until the prescribed customary processes have been concluded.
Throughout the prayer session, mourners paid glowing tribute to Yaa-Naa Abubakari Mahama II, remembering him as a humble, peaceful and visionary monarch whose reign strengthened reconciliation, unity and stability across the Dagbon Kingdom.
Many also offered prayers for Allah to forgive his shortcomings, grant him eternal peace and admit him into Jannatul Firdaus, while calling on the people of Dagbon to remain united as the kingdom navigates the next phase of its traditional transition.
The third-day Adua was held under heavy security, with personnel from the Ghana Police Service deployed across Yendi to ensure the peaceful and orderly conduct of the ceremony as thousands of mourners gathered to honour one of Ghana’s most revered traditional rulers.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
