Late Tamale Chief Naa Dakpema Dawuni Alhassan laid to rest

The mortal remains of the Chief of Tamale, Naa Dakpema Mohammed Dawuni Alhassan who died at age 76 on Saturday July 14 has been laid to rest.

Naa Dakpema Alhassan was buried on Sunday July 15 in line with Islamic tradition.

Related: Tamale Chief Naa Dakpema Dawuni Alhassan dies

A series of rituals were performed by custodians of the Dakpema skin before he was sent to Siliga, a sacred cemetery where chiefs of the Dakpema gate are buried at 4pm on Sunday.

As part of tradition, the remains of the late Tamale Chief was carried in a casket and a procession was held amid chanting and firing of muskets through the principal streets of Tamale.

That, according to authorities of the palace, was to signify that the chief had joined his ancestors.

Early on, nine muskets were fired at the Dakpema palace to officially communicate the demise of the chief to the general public.

Many people thronged the Dakpema palace on Sunday morning moments after the death of the chief was officially announced to pay their last respects and bid him farewell.

In a solemn mood, an Islamic prayer was observed for the late chief before the remains were sent for burial.

There was representation from the clergy, Muslim sects and various traditional gates in the region to bid farewell to the late chief, described by many as “a humble, kind-hearted, and dignified and a development-oriented chief.”

According to the spokesperson for the late Naa Dakpema Alhassan, Sabaa Naa Abass Salifu, arrangements for the final funeral rites would be announced later.

The late chief of Tamale was enskinned in 2008.