The Speaker of Ghana’s eigth Parliament Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, has been enskined as “Dakagli Naa” by the chiefs and people of the Wala Traditional Council in the Upper West Region.
The Chiefs and elders described speaker Bagbin as a development-oriented leader who is dependable, reliable, and, above all, a stalwart in the development of not only the Upper West Region but the entire Ghana, hence their decision for the enskinment.
Overlord of the Wala State, His Royal Majesty Naa Fuseini Seidu Pelpuo IV, who honoured speaker Bagbin, the chieftaincy titled “Dakagli Naa”, literally means Dependable Pond, said he prohibited all his subjects from addressing the speaker without the customary title.
The historical traditional event took place on Tuesday, August 28 2024 at the forecourt of the Wa Naa Palace.
The lifetime event was witnessed by traditional leaders, family members, members of the NDC party, regional department heads, and some notable former Black Stars players, as well as community members.
About the title
Dakagli was a sacred pond which served as a source of life and sustenance for the people of Wa. It also serves as home to crocodiles which were the earth god of the people of Wa.
On his part, the Overload of the Wala Traditional state, Naa Fuseini Seidu Pelpuo IV said speaker Bagbin symbolized the qualities of protection, continuity, resilience, and a sense of community that the crocodiles represented, as he continued to serve not only Ghana but Africa and the world.
The Paramount Chief of the Lawra Traditional Area, and chairman of the occasion, Naa Puowele Karbo III, while praising “Dakagli Naa” for his life achievement, also labelled him as “a man of many parts.”
In his acceptance speech, Speaker Bagbin, now Dakagli Naa, expressed gratitude to the Wa Naa and the entire traditional council, the Imams, and all stakeholders for the recognition and honour done him.
He indicated that the ceremony served as a reminder of the important role tradition and culture played in the fabric of Ghanaian society.
Dakagli Naa S.K. Bagbin’s ceremony was put together by the Youth Placement and Employability Solutions Ghana commonly known as Y-PES Ghana.
It is a locally-based but national non-governmental organisation (NGO) with its headquarters in the Regional Capital of the Upper West Region.
The idea of Y-PES Ghana started in 2013 but was incorporated in 2015 by the Registrar General’s Department as Y-PES Ghana with the then intention of encouraging young people to move into volunteerism and placing people on internships in their respective places of study and interest, and creating more avenues for them to learn on the job.
It also targeted youth into decision–making process thus, creating structures and opportunities for young people to use youth parliament as an advocacy platform for engagements with duty bearers and in partnership with the National Youth Authority.
Y-PES Ghana also realized that there was a need to celebrate achievers, hence the introduction of the Northern Sector Youth and Mentors Achievers’ Awards (NSYMA) Awards Scheme and Youth Celebrating Senior Citizens programmes.
These and many more are now added to expand the mandate of the organization.
Story by Ibrahim A. Wangara|3news.com|Ghana|
