Dagbon has once again been plunged into mourning following the reported death of the respected sub-chief of Zoggu, Naa Bapre Zoggu-Lana.
According to reports, Naa Bapre passed away on Wednesday morning at his palace in Zoggu, sending another wave of grief through his family, the people of Zoggu and the wider Dagbon traditional area.
His passing comes barely 24 hours after the reported death of Nyol-Naa Shero, who is remembered as the last sub-chief enskinned by the late Yaa Naa Abukari II before his passing.
The latest loss therefore adds to a growing sense of sorrow across Dagbon, where the successive departure of revered traditional leaders has left many communities mourning the loss of elders who served as custodians of history, culture and tradition.
This latest bereavement come
s at a particularly painful moment for the Kingdom, which has still been coming to terms with the passing of Ndan Ya-Na Mahama Abukari II, a loss that shook the foundations of Dagbon and plunged the traditional area into deep mourning.
Barely had the Kingdom begun to gather the pieces of its broken heart when, on Sunday afternoon, August 23, 2026, Tolon Naa Major (Rtd.) Sulemana Abubakari, another revered custodian of Dagbon’s ancestral heritage, also answered the call of the ancestors after a short illness at his palace.
And now, with the passing of Naa Bapre Zoggu-Lana, the mourning deepens once again, leaving the people of Zoggu and Dagbon to confront yet another painful departure from their traditional leadership.
For many across the Kingdom, these are more than the deaths of individuals, because each departed elder carried memories, wisdom and traditions handed down through generations, making their absence a loss to the living heritage of Dagbon.
In the midst of these successive losses, Dagbon stands like an ancient tree beneath a storm—its branches shaken by the winds of grief, yet its roots remain firmly buried in the soil of generations.
Meanwhile, as news of the death continues to spread, further details concerning the circumstances of Naa Bapre’s passing and his funeral arrangements are expected to be announced by the appropriate traditional authorities and his family.
For Zoggu, the loss marks the departure of another elder from its traditional landscape, while for Dagbon, it is another solemn reminder of the passing of a generation of custodians.
May the Almighty Allah grant Naa Bapre Zoggu-Lana eternal rest and grant his family, the people of Zoggu and the entire Dagbon traditional area the strength to bear this painful loss.
