Bawumia Pays Tribute: Hails Late Ya‑Na as a King of Peace and Unity
Former Vice President and 2028 NPP presidential candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has paid glowing tribute to the late Overlord of Dagbon, Ya‑Na Abukari Mahama II, describing him as a unifying leader whose reign cemented lasting peace across the kingdom.
Dr Bawumia delivered the tribute in Yendi on Friday, July 31, during the outdooring of the new Regent of Dagbon, Kampakuya Naa Yakubu Abukari, following the Ya‑Na’s passing on July 11, 2026.
Addressing mourners, chiefs and dignitaries, Dr Bawumia said he was deeply saddened by the death of the revered monarch, whom he described as a man committed to peace, love and unity.
“I am deeply touched by the demise of the late Overlord of Dagbon, Ya‑Na Mahama Abukari II. The king was a man of peace, love and unity. Under his reign, Dagbon has seen peace and unity,” he said.
He praised the late Ya‑Na as a leader who did not discriminate and worked tirelessly to unite the people of Dagbon.
Dr Bawumia recalled his long-standing relationship with the late Ya‑Na, stretching back to the period before he ascended the Dagbon skin. He recounted a light-hearted encounter in Savelugu in 2016, where they shared a humorous exchange about marriage and “tasting soup.”
“I told him that if you have two wives, you need to taste their soup to know which is sweeter; if you have only one wife, you won’t know that another wife’s soup is sweeter,” he said, adding that the Ya‑Na responded with humour and they both laughed.
He also recalled asking the late chief for his views on the performance of the then NPP government, noting that their conversations reflected the cordial relationship they shared.
Dr Bawumia’s remarks came after the newly installed Regent, Kampakuya Naa Yakubu Abukari, pledged to uphold the rotational chieftaincy succession system between the Andani and Abudu gates and protect the peace and unity established during his father’s reign.
As Regent, he will oversee the affairs of the Dagbon Kingdom until the completion of the late Ya‑Na’s final funeral rites and the selection of a new Overlord in accordance with Dagbon customs and traditions.