Kingmakers of the Jirapa traditional area in the Upper West region have proclaimed a 41-year-old educationist as the new paramount chief for the Jirapa traditional area.
The proclamation was a unanimous decision by representatives of all the kingmakers of the Jirapa traditional area after a rigorous process to find a successor of the Jirapa skin following the demise of the paramount chief of the area, Naa Ansoleh Ganaa II.
The new chief, Justice Donlabon Denaa, who currently works at the Jirapa Municipal Education Directorate, until his selection, was the regent for the Jirapa skin after the demise of Naa Ansoleh Ganaa II, who served as IGP under the Rawlings regime and was known in private life as Peter Nanfuri.
The proclamation of Justice Donlabon Denaa as the new chief was done in Jirapa after almost eight hours of ritual performances by the kingmakers to appease their ancestors and pave the way for the selection of a new chief for the Jirapa skin.
The unanimous decision on Justice Donlabon Denaa came not as a surprise to many within the Jirapa traditional area, considering his wealth of experience in the culture and traditions of Jirapa, as well as his social standing as the current regent for the Jirapa skin.
Spokesperson for the kingmakers of Jirapa, Anthony Batie Dordan speaking to the media said: “we have come out with a successor who is Naa Justice Donlabon Denaa. A date has been given by the elders as 30th December 2023 to outdoor him.”
He explained that the kingmakers will engage in various rituals for more than two weeks before the new chief is outdoored on the 30th of January.
Justice Donlabon Denaa is the 5th to ascend the Jirapa traditional throne.
Speaking to the media, he expressed gratitude to the kingmakers for reposing confidence in him and pledged to collaborate and cooperate with stakeholders to bring the needed development to Jirapa.
He said his rich experience was already bearing fruit for the Jirapa traditional area, as an ultramodern traditional council block has been constructed through his lobbying. He pledged to fix the dilapidated old chief palace of Jirapa immediately after he was outdoored.
As the kingmakers continue with their rituals ahead of the outdooring of the new chief, the young and old in the Jirapa traditional area are waiting with bated breath to see the reign of Naa Justice Donlabong Denaa as the substantive chief.
