Six months after the Gbeniyiri conflict that claimed the lives of about 38 people and left many others injured across Gbeniyiri, Kalba, and parts of Bole in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba and Bole districts of the Savannah Region, traditional priests have performed purification rites to cleanse the land and bring closure to the violence.
The rites, led by the Chief Priest of Tuna, Mwiri Kipo Huenhen, together with eight other traditional priests, were intended to appease Mother Earth and the souls of those who died during the conflict.
In an interview at Dagbebu, a Sawla suburb, the top priest clarified that the ceremonies signaled the end of violence in the region. He cautioned that anyone who tried to start violence again would suffer dire spiritual repercussions. “Today, the Gbeniyiri battle is over. Stakeholders and families have consented and are present to observe the cleansing. Thus, the dispute is now resolved. We pray to God and our ancestors that it won’t happen again and that there won’t be a fight here.
“And if someone here or anywhere is still thinking otherwise about the conflict, and picks a gun or any weapon, he or she will have the Gods and Ancestors to contend with,” he stated. According to him, the rituals signify the closure of the conflict and serve as a clear signal for all parties to live together in peace and harmony.
The war began in August 2025 when a dispute over a ten-square-meter plot of land at Gbeniyiri turned violent. Widespread fights resulted from one of the sides rejecting the verdict, despite the case being presented before the Gbeniyiri chief’s palace.
The purification rites began at the Janivuro community near Gbeniyiri, where the first five of the 38 victims were killed, before continuing at Dagbebu.
Recounting the events, the chief priest said it was necessary to cleanse the land in recognition of the pain caused by the conflict and to create room for peace and development.
Cows, lambs, birds, and beverages were offered as sacrifices to Mother Earth as part of the rites. At Dagbebu, similar ceremonies were also carried out.
Reverend Father Lazarus Annyereh, a member of the Gbeniyiri mediation team and chairman of the Savannah Regional Peace Council, praised the traditional rulers for the initiative.
“What I’ve seen here is a clear desire for sustainable peace in the area. And the chief priest’s statement exhorting everybody to lay down weapons and promote sustainable peace in the area has resolved part of our assignment,” Rev. Fr. Annyereh stated.
He added, “I’d like to say that it is a very strong contribution as far as the mediation and the dialogue mediation committee among the Lobi-Brifor-Gonjas are concerned.” Rev. Fr. Annyereh further explained that, as a Catholic priest, his presence was also significant.
“Just to witness also tells people that the church is interested in African religion, especially religion that promotes peace, not religion that brings division. And what I’ve seen here is the promotion of peace, and it convinces me that we can work together in solidarity,” he said. In a related development, a new palace has been constructed to replace the Gbeniyiri chief’s palace that was destroyed during the conflict.
Stakeholders, including the Lobi-Brifor Council of Elders as well as the Dagaaba chief and his elders, were present to witness the purification rites.
