Buipewura Jinapor Formally Re-instated into House of Chiefs

Buipewura Jinapor II

The Paramount Chief of Buipe Traditional Area, Buipewura Abdulai Mahama Jinapor II has been recalled to the Northern Regional House of Chiefs after the longstanding altercation between him the Gonja Traditional Council. 

A Tamale High Court Judge, Mr. Justice Gilbert Ayisi Addo swore him as a member of the Regional House of Chiefs on Thursday 28^th August 2014 at the Tamale High Court. The swearing in was witnessed by the administrators and judicial officers of the Regional House of Chiefs and the media. 

The swearing in now empowers the Buipewura to freely carry out his statutory mandates as Paramount Chief to deliver judgment on specific cases that would be brought before him as enshrined in the 1992 constitution. 

Buipewura Abdulai Mahama Jinapor II in somewhere May 2010 was de-skinned by the Gonja Traditional Council chaired by the current Yagbonwura Tuntumba Bore Essa I for an alleged insubordinate conduct. 

As a result, the Yagbonwura and the Gonja Traditional Council disenskinned the legitimate Buipewura and replaced him with one Bawa Jawu from the Awushie family which was one of the families that contested the skin with the Jinapor family.

This action by the Yagbonwura completely broke down the peace and unity in Buipe leading loss of lives and properties. But Buipewura Abdulai Mahama Jinapor II through his legal team led by Lawyer Mohammed Alhassan filed an order of certiorari at a Tamale High Court and restrained the Council from en-skinning Bawa Awushie Jawu as Chief of Buipe or his successor.

He was finally exonerated by the court presided over by His Lordship Kwame Ansu Gyeabour who quashed the Gonja Traditional Council’s action.

The Judge in his ruling described the Council’s decision as illegal and awarded the plaintiff Ghc4, 000 fine for causing emotional stress to him.

Buipewura Jinapor II (right) being sworn in by Justice Ayisi Addo (left)

The Council was charged to pay additional Ghc2, 400 to the Buipewura for the expenses he made throughout the legal tussle.

In compliance with the court ruling, Buipewura Abdulai Mahama Jinapor II was subsequently reinstated as the chief of Buipe by the Gonja Traditional Council.

The Buipewura also a retired senior police officer has since initiated moves to reunite the people including members of the opposing Awushie family. 

He has successfully enskinned the opponent, Bawa Awushie Jawu as “Danyampewura” which makes him (Bawa Jawu) as next to the Buipewura in his cabinet. 

The Buipe Chief apart from spearheading development agenda of the area also organized a very successful Damba Festival in March 2014 for the first time in five years to further unite the people.

He told the media that his vision is to support the District Assembly and for that matter government to transform Buipe into the commercial hub of the three Northern Regions. Already, Buipe is described as the industrial centre of the north with a number of factories operating in the area. 

Buipewura Jinapor II on the other hand pledged to work with members of the Northern Regional House of Chiefs to speed up all outstanding chieftaincy disputes pending before the House.