Investigation into Succession Plan in the Chieftaincy Institution of the Savannah Region of Ghana: A Case Study of Kingship (Overlord) of the Gonja Kingdom
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Abstract:
Kingship, a social phenomenon across the
globe has been recognized and established in many countries. Kingship is
believed to be the genesis of evolution of social leadership in the community,
family, clan, and or tribe. In many jurisdictions, it is a preserve for the
royal family who hailing from patrifiliation or matrifiliation. In the case of
the Gonja Kingdom, the King (Yagbonwura) as he is called succeed the Kingship
through patrilineal lines. Unlike the Ashantis in Ghana, succeed the Kingship
through the matrilineal lines. In the United Kingdom (UK), Charles III is the
King of Great Britain. In Africa, we have Mswati III the Ngwenyama King of Eswatini
formally known as Swaziland. This paper focus to ascertain whether or not the
Kingship succession of Gonja is conflict free or otherwise. The methodology of
the research, applied both qualitative and quantitative research methods.
Observation, interviews, focus group discussions were employed in data
collection. The research reveals that, Kingship in the Gonja Kingdom is
conflict free in Ghana. It is highly revered, upheld and considered one of the
sacred institutions. Every King automatically has followers and subjects who
serve the Kingship within a defined jurisdiction.
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