Vagla Celebrate 2024 Deng Festival At Sonyo In Savannah Region
Vagla which is an indigenous tribe or ethnic group in the Savannah Region of Ghana do celebrate their annual festival at Sornyor currently spelt Sonyo. The entire VAGLA COUNTRY from the SOUTH namely Zaakpa currently spelt Sakpa, Beel (Bole), Chorbang, Chaabol (Kiape), Segezee (Seripe_Yahori (Yahoro), Mandari, Gbenfu, and Mamful among others converged at Sonyo for the annual Deng Festival. Also, the Vagla from the CENTRAL namely Kunlog (Jelinkon), Dabgigu, Taari, Nakwabi, Sanyeai, Naakpang (Nakpala), Dinzee, Gindaabol (Jentilpe), Buge, Gorbol (Grupe) among others all gathered before the Sonyo Kipo Shrine for their annual traditional Deng Festival. The Vagla of the NORTH were among the tens of people who stormed Sonyo for the 2024 Deng Festival. The VAGLA NORTH communities include Jang, Dabori, Soma, Tuna, Yipala, Kpogri, Kanchen, Nahari, Kunfulsi, Kalba, Saru, and Doli, among others. The 2024 DENG FESTIVAL AT SONYO was one of the colourful traditional events among the Vagla Groups of the Savannah Region of Ghana. Due to geographical factors among others, some are the Safalba, Choruba, Nomee and Batgigee. These Vagla groups and their communities constitute the GREAT VAGLA NATION STATES which has its roots in the FIRST VAGLA VILLAGE OF JANG.
Per the Vagla History, the Original Annual Meeting place was in Dagbigi in the Vagla Central Country. This was the era of the THEOCRATIC STATE OF DAGBIGU. The theocratic state of Dagbigu lasted for over two centuries and then the VAGLAS CELEBRATE THE KAAFO FESTIVAL. It is important to note that the KAAFO FESTIVAL is still celebrated though it lost its popularity to the SONYO DENG FESTIVAL. The emergence of the new community in Vagli Sor-Nyor (bath and drink) symbolises their powerful god or shrine called the SONYO KIPO.
The 2024 Deng Festival of the Savannah Region of Ghana was organised by the traditional leaders/chiefs of Sonyo under the auspices of the Kajin-wura (Sonyo-Koro), Kupo and Kasang-wura (VUG-HIN). It is important to note that Kasangwura is the SUPREME CHIEF PRIEST and by Vagla Practice virtually every Vagla Traditional Leader or Chief have their oath of allegiance to the POWERFUL SONYO KIPO. It is important to note that Vaglas are Fetish and that is the source of their power. Also, VAGLA leaders are the Custodians of the land who oversee the gods, shrines and deities virtually everywhere in WESTERN GONJA NORTHERN GHANA. Also, Vagla Traditional leaders perform virtually every traditional rite of the Land, such as TINDANA.
Several Traditional Festivals and Rites are performed by the Vagla of the Savannah Region of Ghana in West Africa. Some of these traditional festivals include the Deng Festival, the Kaafo Festival, the Jintigi Festival, the Sigma Festivals of Jang, Dabori, Yipala, the Tuna Heu Festivals, the Chorbang Kunge (Heu) Festival, Sanyari/Mandari Tingban Yala and among other Heu festivals in the GREAT VAGLA NATION STATE. Each Vagla Country/Nation has a unique traditional festival. Besides these traditional festivals, the Vagla Traditional Leaders and Elders/People do perform several traditional rites in the Savannah Region of Ghana, prominent among these rites are the GINDAABOL PII (about Samori war of 1895-1897), KILANPOBILE WIA (resistance battleground around 1700 with Vagla success within Chorbang Traditional Area)/ BANZEN WIA (within Beel Traditional Area, PULZEN WIA, YAGBON WIA and KACHA WIA (all within the Kulong Traditional Area). These depict the importance of the Indigenous Vaglas of the North.
The 2024 Deng Festival was celebrated under the theme: Unity and Diversity of the Gonja Tribes/Groups and their Unique Culture: A Tool for Peace and Development of the Savannah Region. Former President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency, John Dramani Mahama, a proud son of the Land of whom the TINDANAS are very proud who offered a traditional prayer through the powerful god of the Vagla land or by extension Gonjaland (Land of the Gonja Tribes) for the political fortunes of their dear son for the 2024 General Elections in December. There was a high-powered delegation of the Former President led by the MP for Tamale South Lawyer Aduna (ie Hon Haruna Iddrisu). There was also a great number of the opposition party members at Sonyo who came with buses accompanying the delegation of H.E John Mahama to Sonyo. There were many Members of Parliament of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) including the MP for Bole-Bamboi Hon Alhaji Yussif Sulemena including Sonyo and the Hon MP for Sawla-Tuna-Kalba Hon Andrews Chiwitey and several party faithful to grace the Deng Festival. The Chairman for the 2024 Deng Festival was Mr James Jimah aka JJ (a Vagla Royal of the Soma Skin who was also one of the Candidates seeking to be the Soma Koro Jara in the Vagla Chiefdom (KorZen-Ni ie a Divisional Paramountcy in the Soma area of the VAGLA NORTH country/Nation.
Among other Special Guests at the 2024 DENG FESTIVAL was the Regional Director of the Centre for National Culture for the Savannah Region Chief Tuya-Naa Azumah Ibrahim.
The President of the Vagla Youth Association (VAYA) J. Ahiah delivered a powerful speech.
Credit: KORO TINADANA COUNCIL, SAVANNAH REGION@SONYO, MAY 2024