Northern Region Chiefs Grateful To Akufo-Addo For Naming Tamale Airport After Yakubu Tali

The paramount chief of the Tolon traditional area in the Northern Region, Tolon Naa Major Sulemana Abubakar (Rtd)., has on behalf of his elders and the people of his community, registered their appreciation to President Akufo-Addo for his decision to name the Tamale after their late royal, Alhaji Yakubu Tali.

The Tolon Naa in the company of several hundreds of his elders and subjects made this known when they paid a courtesy call to President Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House on Tuesday, 5 March 2024, to thank the President for his thoughtfulness and kind gesture

Sincere gratitude

President Akufo-Addo in his penultimate address to Parliament on Tuesday, 27 February 2024 announced that his administration has decided to name two airports (Kumasi International Airport and the Tamale International Airport) after two illustrious sons of the nation who during their lifetime, contributed a great deal to the development of the country, Nana Agyeman Prempeh I for the Kumasi Airport and Alhaji Yakubu Tali, for the Tamale Airport.

“Mr President, during your “State of the Nation” address, you formally honoured our father, brother and grandfather, the late Alhaji Yakubu Tali, Tolon Naa, by naming the Tamale International Airport as Yakubu Tali International Airport

“It is gratifying to note that several chiefs across the length and breadth of Dagbon are before you this morning as family, royal and friends of the late Tolon Naa led by the chief of the Tolon traditional area, your good friend, Major Sulemana Abubakar (Rtd),” Tali Naa Alhaji Abdulai Tali remarked on behalf of the Tolon Naa and his delegation.

“Our mission is to render our sincere gratitude and thanks to you personally and to your government for this kind gesture. There is a saying that a nation that does not honour its citizens, is not worth dying for.

“The honour you have given our father, who devoted his life to the service of humanity and our nation Ghana is one we will be forever grateful for,” the spokesperson Tali Naa Alhaji Abdulai Tali, further remarked.

Excellent example

President Akufo-Addo in his response, stated that he deems it a great privilege to have been the head of state who decided to name the airport after Alhaji Yakubu Tali and that he is of the considered opinion that the late Tolon Naa deserved the honour for his years of sacrifice for his people and the nation.

“I am a firm believer that you give honour to those to whom honour is due. The man we have honoured (Alhaji Yakubu Tali), by naming the Tamale International Airport after him, was a man to whom honour is due.

“A royal of Tolon and Kumbuku, teacher, diplomat, politician, and statesman – this was a man who devoted his life to the service of humanity and his nation Ghana,” President Akufo-Addo said.

“There is so much to say about the life of this ma, his modesty, his humility, even though he is a royal, his devotion to Ghana and his willingness to contribute in any way to the progress and advancement of this country.

“He is an example of a life that should animate all of us and we should all endeavour to emulate this excellent example that Yakubu Tali has given to our generation and succeeding generations in Ghana,” the President added.