By Mohammed Balu
Gwollu, (UWR), July 1, GNA – Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the Vice President, has described the late Paramount Chief of Gwollu Traditional Area, Kuoro Kuri Buktie Limann lV, as a person who was interested in the development of Northern Ghana.
He said he and his brother, Dr. Hilla Limann, and for that matter leaders from northern Ghana were not known for corruption, but honesty and everything they did was “people”, centred.
“He and his generation, believed in honesty, dedication, and integrity and concerned themselves largely about the development of the North,” Vice President Bawumia eulogised in a tribute at Gwollu during the final funeral rites of the late Kuoro.
Kuoro Buktie Limann was enskinned as the Paramount Chief of Gwollu Traditional Area on 18th April 1998 and died on 2nd May 2024.
The Vice President said as a nurse before becoming a distinguished lawyer and a paramount chief, he dedicated himself to a lot of work through to university, which made his life of service to Ghana and his people.
He described the late Kuoro Buktie, who was a Council of State Member during former President Kufuor’s era, as “a man of peace, a man of unity, and one who preserved the peace and unity of our country.
“He was an unassuming and much-disciplined man. He was a mentor to me and a source of excellent counsel, we would miss him dearly,” Dr. Bawumia added.
The Vice President indicated that two months before his death, Kuoro Buktie Liman requested him to support the Hilla Liman Senior High School with a pick-up vehicle and a school bus, an example of how the late chief was concerned about the development of his people and his area.
“I am going to promise him that his request will be honoured in his memory, we will get Hilla Liman Senior High School a pick-up and a bus for the school to honour the service of the late Paramount Chief of Gwollu,”, the Vice President pledged.
He assured Ghanaians of an incident-free election come December 2024, saying, “I know we are going into election, it is not going to be a do or die election, and it will be elections about ideas, about vision, about integrity of the various candidates.
“We just must sell our ideas to the people and if they buy it, they will vote, if they do not like it, they will not vote.
“We are not going to fight, we will vote on ideas with the ballot box,” the Vice President stated.
Kuoro Abdul Rahman Baata, the acting Paramount Chief of the Gwollu Traditional Council, expressed gratitude to the Vice President and the government delegation for attending the funeral.
He said in a tribute that the late chief was a peacemaker who believed in peace-building and upheld friendship.
In a tribute on behalf of the National House of Chiefs and the Upper West Region House of Chiefs, Lawra Naa, Naa Puowele Karbo III, said “We never anticipated a day like this would come so soon.
“Our colleague Kuoro Kuri Buktie Liman IV was inducted as one of the 17 foundation members of the Upper West Region house, served on the judicial committee and was one of the five permanent members of the National House of Chiefs,” he added.
Naa Karbo said, Kuoro Buktie Liman was a passionate advocate of the protection of the environment, especially the wanton exploitation of the shea tree and other indigenous tree species in the region.
Naa Karbo, therefore, called for the realization of the dream of the deceased chief for the establishment of a shea nut marketing board to preserve and promote shea nut in the country.
Mr Junaid Liman, who read the biography of the late chief, described his reign as a transformative leader and a man with a remarkable achievement.
The late Kuoro Buktie Limann was born on the 22nd of November 1943 at the historic Gwollu palace.
He began school in 1948 in Tumu. In 1954, he acquired a Ghana Qualified registered nursing certificate in Tamale and got an A level in 1970.
He went on to the University of London Law School where he pursued an LLB and in 1980 and 1981 was admitted into the English bar and was inducted into the Lincoln Inns.
He practised law for 16 years in Nigeria before coming to Ghana.
He served in many organizations and boards and was survived by seven children and two wives.
Tributes were also read in his memory by the widow, Madam Ramatu Wasai Liman, children, grandchildren nephews and nieces.
The National House of Chiefs and the Ministry of Chieftaincy donated GH¢7,000.00 to the family.
The Vice President made cash donations of GH¢50,000.00 to the family, GH¢10,000.00 to the Gwollu traditional council, GH¢5,000.00 to the Imams and an undisclosed amount of money to the Queen mother of the Gwollu traditional council.
Other dignitaries that attended the funeral included the Member of Parliament for Sissala West, Mohammed Sukparu Adams, NPP Parliamentary candidate for Sissala West, Mr Salifu Naliwie Baluwie, Tumu Kuoro, Kuoro Richard Babini Kanton VI, Kuoro Ninia Sukabe Diaka V, Zini Paramountcy, Kuoro Osman Deiwia Nankpa III, Paramount Chief of Pulima, Bawiesebelle Kuoro represented by Nabulo Kuoro, the Jantina of Tumu.
The rest were a delegation of chiefs from Leo in Burkina Faso, Jawia Chief, Sankana Naa, Guli Naa, Divisional chiefs, and Queen mothers.
GNA