Savannah Region: Head of Gonja Kingdom traditionally Bless the Eating of New Yam in Gonjaland
Per the customs and traditions of the Gonja Kingdom, no one eats or consume new yams before the King and Overlord of Gonja (Yagbonwura) and contradictory are severely punished.
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The King and Overlord of Gonja kingdom, His Majesty Yagbonwura Sulemana Tuntumba Bore Essa (I) has successfully performed the 2021 blessing of new eating of new yam known in the local palace as “Gbandawu” at the Jakpa Palace in Damongo.
The Yagbonwura and His elders on Tuesday, July 27, 2021, were led by the Kakulasewura and his people in the performance to pave way for all the Paramount Chiefs and elders in their traditional areas within the Gonja Kingdom to also organize similar performances for newly yam consumption by the public.
“Gbandawu” in Gonja literally stands for new yam festival which is one of the very paramount events in the culture and tradition of the Gonja Kingdom which is performed yearly to bless the new yam before the general public can duly start to eat it.
According to the historic antecedent, no Paramount chief, elders, or subjects can eat new yams before the Yagbonwura and anyone who contradicts the rule is punished severely under by custom and that replicates in every traditional area of all the paramountcies.
Furthermore, without the performance of “Gbandawu” community members cannot expose new yam either at homes or markets.
Henceforth the Yagbonwura has opened the curtains for the new yam festival across the Gonja Kingdom to be performed and consumed.
It also gives farmers, market men and women the opportunity to be able to bring new yams to the market to sell after the respective Paramount Chiefs in their jurisdictions go through the process of the new yam festival.
Abdul Sammed Gurundari
