President of the Savannah Region House of Chiefs and Overlord of the Gonjaland Kingdom, Yagbonwura Tuntumba Boresa I has died.

Yagbonwura Tuntumba Boresa  died at dawn of Saturday, 5th February 2023 in Damongo.

The late Yagbonwura was enskinned as King of the Gonja Kingdom in March, 2010.

Born in 1933 to Yapeiwura Bakari the son of Yagbonwura Mahama of Kusawgu, the Chief of Sonyo, Sonyonwura Adamu Bakari Kanyiti has in accordance with the Gonja customs and Traditions has since moved into the Jakpa Palace at Damongo to act as Head of State and President of the Gonja Traditional Council until a new Yagbonwura is enskinned.

The Sonyowura is also leading in all preparations for customary and traditional royal burial of the Yagbonwura at the royal mausoleum for Gonja Kings at Mankuma near Bole.

In the year 2002 the late Yagbonwura Bawa Doshi of blessed memory enskinned him as Yapeiwura, thus, after Kusawguwura Amanfo decided not to hand the Chieftaincy to the Jakpa gate who’s turn it was.

After the demise of Kusawguwura Amanfo, Sulemana Jakpa (Yagbonwura Tuntumba Boresa I) was enskinned as Kusawguwura by the late Yagbonwura Bawa Doshi in June 2007.

Tuntumba Boresa (I) Sulemana Jakpa in his private life worked with several organisations such as Ministry of Agriculture, Saba International Construction Company who constructed the Ghana Foods Distribution Depot in Tamale in 1957, SIMS Construction, Tamale Supplies, a construction firm, Tuffour Construction and many others.

He later joined the 48 Engineers Regiment popularly called Gas engineers. They constructed the Kalandan Barracks, Kamina Barracks, and Bawa Barracks – the Airborne Force in Tamale.

He also participated in the construction of the Tema Township and Tema Harbor during the rule of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the first President and Prime Minister of Ghana.

Other major projects he helped construct are Kwame Nkrumah Trust Schools which are still living testimonies today, as well as schools in the Ada- foa and Akatsi areas.

After the overthrow of the Busia Administration by Ignatius Kutu Acheampong in 1972 and the re-introduction of the District council concept, Tuntumba Boresa (I) was transferred to the West Dagomba Council as a works foreman in the Carpentry and Joinery workshop. Hence, all the public and state constructional works were carried out under his direct supervision.

In 1974 he was transferred to Savelugu Local Council with Alhaji Haruna (Late Kpembewura Kibasibi) as the clerk of council to set up that Administration.

He lived and worked in the Savelugu-Nantong Council over fifteen years until 1979 when he was finally transferred back to Tamale Municipal Assembly where he worked until his retirement in the year 1993.

Most of the District Assembly funded projects in the Tamale, Savelugu, Pong-Tamale areas were handled by him from 1974 to 1993.

During the 1981 Revolution led by Chairman Jerry John Rawlings, Tuntumba Boresa I was the People’s Defence Committee (PDC) Chairman for the Lamashegu Area. It was in this era that the popular Lamashegu Food Market was created and has been the market serving Tamale South Area and its environs ever since.

All cases relating to petty thievery, domestic violence, abuse of children and women, illegal profiteering, hoarding, illegal possession of fire arms were handled to the satisfaction of all concerned. This earned him the accolade Chairman. Indeed, from 1979 to 1987 he was an icon in the Tamale- Lamashegu Traditional Area.

In the area of sports, he was a football fanatic to the extent that he became the National Supporters Chairman of Real Tamale United (RTU). He handled the National Supporters Chairmanship for about five years.

In 1986 Yagbonwura Tuntumba was enskinned the Salaa-wura of the Kusawgu Traditional Area.

The Gonja Kingdom under Yagbonwura Tuntumba Boresa has undoubtedly spearheaded and facilitated the development of Gonjaland extending same to the entire Northern Region when he ascended the administrative throne as Vice- President of the Northern Regional House of Chiefs as well as being a member of the committee of eminent Chiefs to mediate for peace in the Dagbon Conflict.

The Yagbonwura was always keen to initiate and see to the execution of development projects for his people.