Bukali II (Bukali, Bukari, Abukari, Abubakar; born 1939 or 1940's), known as Gariba II, is the current

Yaa Naa The Yaa Naa is the title of the king of Kingdom of Dagbon, Dagbon, the Kingdom of the Dagomba people, Dagomba people, located in the Northern Region of present-day Ghana. The current Yaa Naa is Mahama Abukari Gariba II. He was enskinned on Friday, ...

, traditional ruler of the

Kingdom of Dagbon The Kingdom of Dagbon ( ) is the oldest and one of the most organised traditional kingdoms in Ghana founded by the Dagomba people (Dagbamba) in the 15th century. During its rise, it comprised, at various points, the Northern Region (Ghana), North ...

in Northern Ghana. Bukali was born into royalty at Mion to Mahama II, the Yaa Naa from 1938 to 6 February 1948. His mother, Ayishetu, was a princess from Kulunpke, a small community near Chaazaadaanyili in Northern Ghana. Bukali's first undertook public duties as the chief of Kpunkpono until he was elevated to

Savelugu Savelugu is a town and the capital of Savelugu Municipal District, Savelugu Municipal, a municipality in the Northern Region, Ghana, Northern Region of north Ghana. Savelugu has a 2012 Human settlement, settlement population of 38,074 people. The ...

; one of three gate skins to succeed the Yaa Naa. Bukali was ordained by the kingmakers of Dagbon as the 41st Yaa Naa on January 18, 2019, following a chieftaincy dispute that left the ''Yendi skins'' vacant for 16 years.

Investiture

The ceremony to outdoor Bukali II began on January 25 throughout 27 of 2019. The preceding two weeks of his investiture was devoted to the celebration of the final funeral rites of Mahamadu IV and

Yakubu II Yaa Naa Yakubu Andani II (1945–2002) was the King of Dagbon, the traditional kingdom of the Dagomba people in northern Ghana, from 31 May 1974 until his assassination on 27 March 2002. He was born in August 1945 in Sagnarigu, a suburb of Ta ...

; each lasting one week with the former taking the lead. This timeline was determined by the Committee of Eminent Chiefs formed by the Government of Ghana to intervene the dispute that followed the murder of the immediate past Yaa Naa Yakubu II that led to a 17-years long vacancy of the ''Yendi skins''. On Friday January 18, 2019; the final day of the funeral of Yakubu II, kingmakers of Dagbon led by the

Kuga Naa The Kuga Naa (native: ''Kuɣu Naa'', pronounced ''Ku u Naa'') is an elder in the court of the Yaa Naa, in the Kingdom of Dagbon in northern Ghana, and head of a four-member committee that constitute the ''kingmakers of Dagbon''. The current Kuga Naa ...

''Abdulai Adam II'', consulted the Dagbon oracles to select a new king from among four contenders; namely, Yoo Naa ''Abukari Mahama''; chief of Savelugu, Kampakuya Naa Abdulai Yakubu; regent of Yakubu II, Bolin Lana ''Abdulai Mahamudu''; regent of Mahamadu IV, and Tampion Lana ''Alhassan Andani'', chief of Tampion. Grass pulled from the roof of the Gbewaa Palace by the ''Gushei Naa'' was handed over to Abukari Mahama by the Kuga Naa. This gesture signified that the oracle had chosen Abukari Mahama to be the Yaa Naa. The ceremony of the investiture was held at the forecourt of the

Gbewaa Palace Gbewaa Palace is the seat of the Yaa Naa of the Kingdom of Dagbon. Located at Nayilifong along the Yendi-Saboba road in Yendi, Gbewaa Palace was named after the patriarch of the Mole-Dagbani people of Ghana. In 1896, The Gbewaa palace was burnt do ...

. Special guest of honor was the president of Ghana, Nana Akufo Addo. Present at the ceremony were Chiefs from Dagbon and their entourage, religious leaders, government officials, politicians and political party representatives including former president John Mahama, and delegations sent by various paramouncies and chiefdoms including Asanteman and Mamprugu. The ceremony was chaired by

Togbe Afede XIV Togbe Afede XIV (born James Akpo; 23 April 1957) is the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, President of Asogli Traditional Area, and former President of the National House of Chiefs. Early life and education Togbe Afede XIV was born as James ...

, Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State in the Volta Region and President of the National House of Chiefs.

Ancestry

Projects and Initiatives

Dagbon Development Fund

In 2021, Bukali II launched the Dagbon Development Fund.

Gbewaa Palace Redevelopmet

On March 4, 2023, he cut sod for the reconstruction of the Gbewaa Palace.

Revision of Dagbon Constitution

Bukali II initiated the review of the Dagbon constitution in 2020. He inaugurated a committee whose membere were: Naa Yaba Kuɣa-Naa Abdulai II; Naa Yaba Sunson-Naa Shani Hamidu II; Naa Yaba Gushe-Naa Shitobu Abdulai I; Naa Yaba Tolon-Naa Abubakari I, Naa Yaba Kumbun-Naa Yiri II Alhaji Iddrisu Abu, Naa Yaba Nanton-Naa Mahamadu V, Naa Bakpem Kar-Naa Nantogmah, Naa Bakpem Yoo-Naa Abdulai V, Naa Bapra Mion-Lana Abdulai III, Naa Bapra Sagnar-Naa Ambassador Yakubu, Naa Bapra Chereponi-Fame Nanyame Kofi Malba, Naa Bapra Sabob-Naa Uchababor John Mateer Bowan, Naa Bapra Nakpale-Naa Gariba Yankosor II, Naa Bapra Kukon-Lana Abdulai, Naa Bapra Zankpaling-Lana Dr. Yakubu II, and Naa Yaba Namo-Naa Ayuba. The reviewed constitution was adopted by the Dagbon Traditional Council in 2022.

Relief for 2023 Volta Flood Victims

During the devastating 2023 Volta floods, Bukali II donated significant relief composing of 300 bags of maize, 100 bags of rice, and 400 tubes of yam to victims in the

Volta Region Volta Region (or Volta) is one of Ghana's sixteen administrative regions, with Ho designated as its capital. It is located west of Republic of Togo and to the east of Lake Volta. Divided into 25 administrative districts, the region is multi- ...

of Ghana. He also donated 100 bags of maize to affected victims at

Buipe Buipe, sometimes called New Buipe, is a town and the capital of Central Gonja District, in the Savannah Region of northern Ghana. History New Buipe was founded in the 1950s when the population of Old Buipe moved east to the site of a new bridge ...

in the

Savannah Region The Savannah Region is one of the newest regions of Ghana and yet the largest region in the country. The creation of the Region follows presentation of a petition by the Gonja Traditional Council, led by the Yagbonwura Tumtumba Boresa Jakpa I ...

Partnership Between Tamale Technical University and Bursa Technical University

In July 2024 Bukali II played a key role in establishing a partnership between

Tamale Technical University Tamale Technical University (TaTU), initially called Tamale Polytechnic(T.poly), is located in the northern part of Ghana. and at an area usually nick named aEducation ridgeThe branches are the Tamale main, and the Yendi branch About Tamale Tec ...

(TaTU) in Ghana and

Bursa Technical University Bursa Technical University () is a public research university in Bursa, Turkey. Bursa Technical University Rector is Professor Doctor Naci Çağlar. Established in 2010, it is country's fifth Technical University, technical university. The unive ...

(BTU) in Turkey. This collaboration aimed to enhance human capital development in Ghana through knowledge exchange initiatives.

References

{{reflist Living people Dagomba royalty People from Yendi Yaa Naa 1939 births