Members of Parliament have paid glowing tribute to the late Overlord of Dagbon, His Royal Majesty Yaa Naa Abukari Mahama II, celebrating his legacy of peace, reconciliation, wisdom and unity.
The tributes were led by the Member of Parliament for Yendi, Abdul-Fatawu Alhassan, who in a statement to the House on Tuesday described the late Yaa Naa as a remarkable traditional ruler, peacemaker, statesman and father figure whose reign restored hope and stability to the Dagbon Kingdom.
Yaa Naa Abukari Mahama II passed away on July 11, 2026, bringing to an end a reign that Mr Alhassan said would be remembered for its commitment to peace, reconciliation and development.
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According to the Yendi MP, the death of the late Yaa Naa was not merely the loss of a traditional ruler but the passing of a symbol of ‘reconciliation, resilience and hope’ whose leadership ushered in a new chapter for Dagbon after years of division and uncertainty.
The late Overlord was born in Mion in 1939 and was the second child of Yaa Naa Mahama II and Queen Ayishetu of Kulunkpegu. Before ascending the revered Skin of Dagbon, Yaa Naa Abukari Mahama II lived a humble life rooted in hard work and service.
Mr Alhassan said the late traditional ruler was a farmer who ploughed his fields with bullocks, tended cattle and rode horses through Savelugu, demonstrating the dignity of labour and humility that later characterised his leadership.
Mr Alhassan said history thrust Yaa Naa Abukari Mahama II into national prominence at a critical moment in Dagbon’s history following the tragic events of March 2002.
For nearly 17 years, the revered Skin of Yendi remained vacant, while funeral rites could not be performed and a successor could not be installed.
The prolonged crisis deepened divisions between the Abudu and Andani Royal Gates and weighed heavily on the conscience of the nation.
However, through the collective efforts of eminent chiefs, statesmen, successive governments, the Committee of Eminent Chiefs and the people of Dagbon, a path towards reconciliation eventually emerged.
Mr Alhassan recalled that when the kingmakers consulted the oracle in January 2019, four eminent princes were considered for the highest traditional office, with tradition eventually settling on Abukari Mahama, then Paramount Chief of Savelugu.
His enskinment, held from January 25 to 27, 2019, he said, represented more than the installation of a new king.
It symbolised “the rebirth of Dagbon, the restoration of legitimate traditional authority and the triumph of peace over conflict.”
According to Mr Alhassan, the reign of Yaa Naa Abukari Mahama II witnessed renewed stability in Dagbon, strengthened traditional institutions and enhanced collaboration with government and development partners in education, healthcare, agriculture, youth empowerment and social cohesion.
The late Overlord, he said, consistently emphasised the importance of peace to development and unity as Dagbon’s greatest strength.
Contributing to the tribute, the MP for Tamale South and Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, described Yaa Naa Abukari Mahama II as one of the great rulers of Dagbon.
He said the late King was a wise, patient and consultative ruler who engaged extensively with the people and those who assisted him in administering Dagbon.
Mr Iddrisu called on the people of Dagbon to use the late Yaa Naa’s passing as an opportunity to strengthen unity and ensure that the roadmap for the peaceful rotation of the succeeding royal gates is successfully implemented.
“Let the passing of Yaa Naa Abukari Mahama II unite Dagbon, and let it be an opportunity for the restoration of an enduring legacy of a roadmap, of a rotation of the succeeding gate-skins between Abudus and Andanis, to work and work to perfection,” he said.
The Education Minister also acknowledged the contributions of successive governments and traditional leaders to the restoration of peace in Dagbon.
He specifically recognised the role played by former President John Agyekum Kufuor, who established the Committee of Eminent Chiefs, as well as former President John Dramani Mahama and former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Mr Iddrisu also praised the role of the eminent chiefs, including the King of Mamprugu, the Yagbonwura and the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, in helping to guide the peace process that ultimately led to the installation of Yaa Naa Abukari Mahama II.
The Tamale South MP underscored the importance of peaceful coexistence between the Abudu and Andani royal gates, stating that despite political differences, the cultural and traditional relationship between the two families remained strong.
The MP for Gushegu, Alhassan Tampuli, also paid tribute to the late Yaa Naa, describing him as a father figure and a leader whose influence extended far beyond the seven years he occupied the revered Skin.
Mr Tampuli recalled that the late Yaa Naa often insisted that he was not his grandson but rather his son, a relationship he said was rooted in historical connections between their families.
Mr Tampuli identified three key legacies that he believes must be pursued in honour of Yaa Naa Abukari Mahama II.
First, he called for the completion of the new Gbewaa Palace; second, he urged stakeholders to complete the process of reviewing and amending the 1930 Dagbon Constitution, and third, he called for a smooth transition to the next Yaa Naa to consolidate peace and unity within Dagbon.
The Gushegu MP also made a passionate appeal for the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) to be renamed after the late Yaa Naa Abukari Mahama II as a tribute.
He argued that although the late King had occupied the Skin for only seven years, the impact of his leadership was comparable to that of a ruler who had served for decades.