Paramount Chief of Tolon passes away, deepening mourning in Dagbon

The Tolon Traditional Area and the entire Dagbon State have been plunged into further mourning following the passing of Naa Yab Tolon Naa Sulemana (also known as Major Rtd Sulemana Abubakari), the Paramount Chief of the Tolon Traditional Area. His death comes just days after the passing of the Overlord of Dagbon, Yaa Naa Abubakari Mahama II, compounding the sense of loss across the traditional kingdom.

Born in 1943 at Tali, the late chief had a distinguished career spanning both military service and traditional leadership. He served as an escort officer to Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, before retiring as a Major of the Ghana Armed Forces. He was the first son of the late Tolon Naa Alhassan Sulemana.

Following his father’s death, he became Regent of Tolon in 2001 and served in that capacity for 18 years. He was enskinned as the substantive Tolon Naa in 2019 by the late Yaa Naa Abubakari Mahama II, after the completion of his father’s funeral rites.

As a senior chief in the Dagbon traditional hierarchy, the Tolon Naa served as the traditional defence chief of the Yaa Naa. According to historical accounts of Dagbon’s traditional military structure, the Tolon Naa played a key role in mobilising warriors and defending the kingdom.

Before his enskinment as Paramount Chief, he played a critical role in the Dagbon peace process. He was a member of the Dagbon Peace Advisory Committee, which worked to restore lasting peace between the Abudu and Andani royal gates following years of chieftaincy disputes. He also served on the Dagbon Constitutional Review Committee, which was established to consolidate peace and propel development in the area.

The late chief was also a strong advocate for education and development within the Dagbon State. He pledged to enhance girl-child education and ensure that parents in Tolon and its environs received adequate education on the subject. He also appealed to the University for Development Studies (UDS) to consider establishing a faculty in Tolon, and was actively involved in numerous developmental projects in the area.

The cause of his death is currently unknown. The final rites for the late Tolon Naa are expected to be conducted in accordance with Islamic and Dagbon traditional customs, with details of the funeral arrangements to be announced by the appropriate traditional authorities.

His passing has deeply affected the community in Tolon, as residents have been thrown into a state of mourning. The loss of both the Yaa Naa and the Tolon Naa within days of each other represents a significant moment of grief for the people of Dagbon.