Three days after his death, the late land chief of Solenzo, Nicolas Coulibaly, chose himself on Tuesday, his successor, in the person of Dibissan Coulibaly, as Bwa tradition dictates.
The village of Solenzo has had a new land chief since Tuesday, October 15, 2024. He was appointed during the burial ceremony of the former land chief.
The late land chief of Solenzo, Nicolas Coulibaly, was appointed 10 years ago as guarantor of tradition.
On the evening of Saturday, October 12, 2024, he passed away. The body was placed in his house for three days before being transported to designate his successor among the many suitors.
On the evening of Tuesday, October 15, the front of the deceased’s yard was filled with people. Tents had been erected to accommodate the guests.
Abdoul Kader Kongzabré, Secretary General of the Banwa province, accompanied the constituted bodies to the burial ceremony and designation of the new land chief.
At 4 p.m., the rituals began. Women and men went back and forth between the decease
d’s courtyard and the outside, beating drums.
On the third pass, an arrow was brandished as a sign of shooting in the four cardinal points of Solenzo.
It was after these rituals that the remains were taken outside. Two old wise men placed themselves between the remains and the suitors, seated on the ground.
Words and incantations were spoken to the deceased in the Bwamu language.
The wise men then invited the body to designate its own successor, the one who deserves the leadership and who will be the guarantor of tradition.
The young people who were carrying the body of the deceased were shaken and guided by a supernatural force towards the suitors, and it was Dibissan Coulibaly, also head of the canton of Solenzo, who was designated.
The wise men asked the body to confirm its choice a second time, and it was again the canton chief who was designated.
At the third request, the body landed again on Dibissan Coulibaly.
The body of the deceased was brought back to his courtyard for burial, and the new la
nd chief, who shed tears, was taken to his home to await the continuation of the rituals for taking office.
The new land chief affirmed that he will work in unity, understanding and collaboration with the population and the administration for good social cohesion in Solenzo.
The Provincial Director of Culture, Arts and Tourism of Banwa, Kouintani Sanou, indicated that this ancestral method of designation has the merit of avoiding conflicts.
“Everyone must return to tradition, because that is what can save us,” he said.
Source: Burkina Information Agency