The Vagla Chiefs Council (Koro Tindana/VASCAN) writes to congratulate their colleague (the New Sawla Heuhin) for his selection and installation/enskinment. The sacred period of confinement and prayers of libations were done for some periods without the Sawla public as per the rich customs and traditions of the Vagla people of Sawla. On the 15th of May 2025, the Kingmakers or the Heuhina Council of Elders of Sawla announced the selection of the New Heuhin of Sawla (pic1) in the person of Kipo, Jimah. It is important to note that this sacred process of selection/nomination of the New Heuhin commenced after the performance of the final funeral rites of the late Sawla Heuhin Kipo Ampara II last month (in April 2025).
The Vagla Chiefs Council on this occasion wish to thank the power holders (Kingmakers/Sawla Heuhina Council) for their diligence, and prayers of libation for the right person, whom the ancestors or the gods have approved. This is the best practice and the most cherished process in the Vagla Chieftaincy System or Vagla Chiefdom when the selection/nomination is done at the Sal (Gate)/community level (stage 1). For this success story of the Sawla Heunin selection, the Koro Tindana Council (VASCAN) thank the Sawla traditional leadership, especially the power holders for upholding the rich customs and traditions of the Vagla community or the town of Sawla. The Koro Tindana Council (VASCAN) also hope that the readiness of such a relatively young man may rekindle the interest of all Vagla youth not only to participate in Vagla traditional events but also be aspired to assume traditional leadership in their respective communities among the Vagla, Safalba, Chorubu and Nomee areas. The Council salutes the people of Sawla once more.
The New Chief Priest of Sawla is by the Skin name Jimah Kipo II (pic2) as the New Heuhin steps directly into the sandals of his late father (Heuhin Kipo aka Kipo Aamu. of Sindaa Sal). And the ancestors who once occupied the traditional office. Though his father's reign was short-lived and of caretaker status the new Heuhin is to complete the ancestral role and will be blessed by his ancestors for not abandoning the traditional role and assuming the role of Sawla Heuhin.
Some Brief History of Sawla and Sawla Heuhina (Chief Priests of Sawla)
Per Vagla history and archival records of Sawla, Sawla is relatively a very new Vagla Community, one of the last communities Vagla Tribe or Vagla people established. Sawla in the current location was established not too far before the Samari War of 1895-7 with a few Traditional leaders known as Sawla Koro Jara Wiizi-Apar to Sawla Koro Jara Santigi to Sawla Koro Jara Kubemigge and one of the notable Sawla Koro who reigned in Sawla for many years after Samori. This Sawla Koro (Vagli-Koro) was popularly called Sawla Koro Jara Salia and the immediate late Sawla Koro Telly. The Current person occupying the Sawla Koro Skin is Jara Daani Salia II. All from the Hanbol section of Sawla (the Hanbala dynasty).
In terms of the History of Sawla Heuhina, archival records and oral history point to the First Known Sawla Chief Priest (Heuhin) known as SAWLA HEUHIN NYAMINAKOTO a Royal Chief Priest of Sawla from the SINDAA SAL. The Priesthood of Sawla remains with the descendants of SINDAA SAL. The appellation for Sawla Huehin is Siayo. Some notable past Sawla Heuhina who reigned in Sawla include the following:
SAWLA HEUHIN APAR
SAWLA HEUHIN AMPARA
SAWLA HEUHIN KWAJA (Short reign)
SAWLA HEUHIN JIMAH SINDAA “KOLO”
SAWLA HEUHIN KIPO AAMU (Caretaker Status)
SAWLA HEUHIN SAM SUNYAZI (Caretaker Status)
SAWLA HEUHIN KIPO AMPARA II (The Immediate past Sawla Heuhin)
SAWLA HEUHIN JIMAH KIPO II (The Newly Install and Current Sawla Heuhin Siayo)
May the reign of the current Sawla Heuhin be great and a blessing to all the people of Sawla. May the new Sawla Heuhin remain focused, carry the heavy mantle of leadership with care and observe the right customs and traditions of the Vagla concerning the performances of Sawla Heu. The Vagla Council of Chiefs salutes and hails their dear newly installed Sawla Heuhin. We (Koro, Tindana, Heuhiina, Tingbasoba Numa, all say Jan Janmu! To Siayo Jimah Kipo II (Sawla Heuhin). May the people of Sawla and our cherished youth support him greatly. The Vagla Youth Association (VAYA) may you take good care of the new Heuhin as you often do to other Vagla Chiefs across the Vagla Communities (Vagla, Safalba, Choruba and Nomee).
Other Brief Information-Social, Land and Political Locations of the Vagla Town of Sawla
Sawla is a Vagla community currently the district capital of the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District of the Savannah Region of Ghana in West Africa. The district shares boundaries to the North with the Wa West District in the Upper West Region and Bole Municipality to the South and to the East with West Gonja Municipality in the Savannah Region. Sawla is closer to Cote d’Ivoire.
The Vagla history has it that Sawla was originally found around the Dabori-Jang enclaves several years dating to the 14th Century before the Vagla elders migrated from that part to the current location. The Vagla people of Sawla who founded the town have three traditional leaders namely the Sawla Koro (Jara) domicile in Hanbol, the Sawla Heuhin (Siayo) domicile in Sindaa Sal while the Sawla Gbandi who lives in the Luri Sal. These three traditional Vagla leaders have played their respective roles independently and together for the good of the Vagla town of Sawla. The three Vagla traditional leaders are the landowners of Sawla (Tindanas) who hold the Sawla Skins lands in the trust of the Hanbol, Sindaa Sal and the Luri Sal respectively. Whenever any of the three traditional leadership positions become vacant, rigorous traditional processes are followed to select a new successor to the various Skins/positions as Sawla Koro Jara or Sawla Heuhin Siayo or Sawla Gbandi.
LONG LIVE VAGLA CHIEFS OF THE SAVANNAH REGION!!!!
LONG LIVE VAGLA YOUTH!!!
LONG LIVE THE NEWLY INSTALLED SAWLA HEUHIN SIAYO JIMAH KIPO II.
Sources
Archival records:
1899. Report of the Northern Territories of Gold Coast. London: Office.
1908. The Native Customs Ordinance. This made the 'worshipping of other gods' punishable.
1911. Vagella People
1930. Gonja Constitution
1932. Rattray, R. S., Tribes of Ashanti Hinterland. Vols1-2(London: 1932) - on Gur, Tindana
1966. Crouch, M., & Smiles, N. The phonology of Vagla. Collected Field Notes Series, (4).
1968. The Vagla Chiefs Epistle to Local Authority.
1968. Levtzion, on the work of the Powerful Deity of Sonyo but spelt Senyon, on page 65.
1972. Crouch, M. (1972). Rhetorical questions in Vagla of Ghana, W. Africa'. Notes on Translation, 44, 32-36.
1986. Poppi, C.. The Vagla of Northern Ghana: Notes Towards and Ethnography. Cambridge Anthropology, 40-69.
1987. Vagla Falaa Wia (Vagla History)
1996. Lentz, C. (1995). ‘Unity for Development ’youth associations in north-western Ghana. Africa, 65(3), 395-429.
2006. Awedoba, A. K. (2006). The peoples of northern Ghana. Accra, Ghana: National Commission on Culture.
2023. Jebuni, T. S. (2023). Masquerading As Communication for Development: A Study Of Sigmàà Amongst the Tampúlma, Vagla, and Chakale In Ghana (Doctoral dissertation).
Credit: KORO TINDANA COUNCIL@SAWLA
Vagla Traditional Chiefs
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