Gariba II (Bukali II) – Yaa Naa of Dagbon
Gariba II, also known as Bukali II or Abukari Mahama, is the current Yaa Naa – the traditional ruler of the Kingdom of Dagbon in Northern Ghana.
He was born into royalty at Mion to Mahama II, who was Yaa Naa from 1938 to 1948. His mother, Ayishetu, was a princess from Kulunkpegu, a small community near Chaazaadaanyili in Northern Ghana. Bukali first undertook public duties as the chief of Kpunkpono until he was elevated to Savelugu, one of three gate skins to succeed the Yaa Naa.
He was ordained by the kingmakers of Dagbon as the 41st Yaa Naa on January 18, 2019, following a chieftaincy dispute that had left the Yendi skins vacant for sixteen years.
Investiture
The ceremony to outdoor Bukali II began on January 25 and ran through January 27, 2019. The preceding two weeks were devoted to the final funeral rites of Mahamadu IV and Yakubu II, each lasting one week. This timeline was set by the Committee of Eminent Chiefs formed by the Government of Ghana to intervene in the dispute that followed the murder of the immediate past Yaa Naa, Yakubu II.
On Friday, January 18, 2019 – the final day of Yakubu II’s funeral – the kingmakers of Dagbon, led by the Kuga Naa Abdulai Adam II, consulted the Dagbon oracles to select a new king from four contenders. 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 him to be the Yaa Naa.
The investiture ceremony was held at the forecourt of the Gbewaa Palace. The special guest of honor was the president of Ghana, Nana Akufo Addo. Also present were chiefs from Dagbon and their entourages, religious leaders, government officials, politicians, and delegations from Asanteman and Mamprugu. The ceremony was chaired by Togbe Afede XIV, Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State and President of the National House of Chiefs.
Projects and Initiatives
Dagbon Development Fund
In 2021, Bukali II launched the Dagbon Development Fund.
Gbewaa Palace Redevelopment
On March 4, 2023, he cut sod for the reconstruction of the Gbewaa Palace.
Donations Towards Gbewaa Palace Redevelopment
Donations were made by individuals, corporate bodies, and state institutions.
Revision of Dagbon Constitution
Bukali II initiated the review of the Dagbon constitution in 2020. He inaugurated a committee of senior chiefs, and 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: three hundred bags of maize, one hundred bags of rice, and four hundred tubes of yam to victims in the Volta Region. He also donated one hundred bags of maize to affected victims at Buipe in the Savannah Region.
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 in Ghana and Bursa Technical University in Turkey. The collaboration aims to enhance human capital development in Ghana through knowledge exchange.
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