Controversy around Bawumia’s naming, relationship with Mioŋ-Lana cleared

Clarification has emerged following details from Vice President of the Republic, Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, about his relationship with the late Mioŋ-Lana’s family.

Speaking during the funeral ceremony of Mioŋ-Lana Mahamadu Abdulai III on Sunday (August 21, 2022) at Sambu, Dr. Bawumia reportedly said that he had a good relationship with the family of the Ya Naa that traces back to when he was born.

Per previous reports, Ya Naa Mahamadu Abdulai IV [late father of the late Mioŋ-Lana] provided a sheep for his [Bawumia’s] naming ceremony and also requested he should be named after him hence the reason he bears the name ‘Mahamudu’ which is the same as Mahamadu except for the spelling difference.

This appeared to have raised some controversy considering the narrative suggested that the late Ya Naa Mahamadu Abdulai IV [Late Mioŋ-Lana’s father] gave such an order at the time he was 15 years of age.

Following this, perspective has been brought to the issue.

In a post shared by a close associate of the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Akbar Yussif Rohullah Khomeini indicated that the statements made by the Northern Regional Minister who read the address on behalf of the President and the Vice President during the funeral ceremony may have committed an error.

Akbar Yussif recounted an earlier interaction with the Vice President in 2018 about the funerals of Ya Naas and indicated the real facts per what was told him at the time.

According to him, Bawumia was named by the grandfather of the late Mioŋ-Lana [Ya Naa Naa Ablai ŋmarigɔn] and not his father [Yaa Naa Mahamadu Abdulai IV], as was suggested earlier.

Per the details, his grandfather, [Ya Naa Naa Ablai ŋmarigɔn], had requested that Bawumia’s father – Lawyer Mumuni Bawumia who had become a regional minister in the past named his son – who later was born [Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia] after his late father who was called Yaa Naa Mahamadu Bila and his son who was named Yaa Naa Mahamadu Abdulai IV. According to him, it may have been an unconscious blunder on the part of the Regional Minister who was speaking on behalf of the Vice President. He also noted, however, that it may have been that the Regional Minister may have been speaking in the capacity of a royal and therefore spoke in the context of Mioŋ-Lana’s customary relationship with every Ya Naa.

“Naa Ablai ŋmarigɔn was Ya Naa when Lawyer Mumuni Bawumia became Regional Minister. It was in this period that Mahamadu Bawumia was born in Tamale.

“As it is the custom, the Ya Naa plays host to every Regional Minister in Dagbon, and he is usually informed of such pleasant occurrences. It was thus, upon being informed of the birth, that the Ya Naa provided the customary animal for the naming ceremony. It was he who suggested that he be named Mahamadu after he Naa Ablai’s late father (Yaa Naa Mahamadu bila) and his first son (who also became Ya Naa Mahamadu).

“This historical fact was restated by the current Regional Minister during the funeral of the Mioŋ Lana. The only error was in stating that he was named by and after Naa Mahamadu instead of named by Naa Ablai after his (Naa Ablai’s father Naa Mahama, both from the direct lineage of Mioŋ Ablai).

“It could also be that the Regional Minister, himself a Royal, spoke in the context of Mioŋ Lana’s customary relationship with every Ya Naa. In that sense, he wouldn’t be in error,” Akbar Yussif posted.