We cross the border from Togo to Ghana through a dusty isolated crossing. The border post is so under-resourced that the immigration officers need to borrow our pens to “stamp” our passports.
In Tamale, a vibrant Muslim city in northern Ghana, we are invited to visit the palace of the Gulpke Naa, the paramount chief of the region (or king of kings as he is called here). We are granted an audience by the king himself.
While we are waiting for the lesser kings of the surrounding districts to finish their audience with the paramount king, we can hear the court herald chant the praises of the king and his forefathers. Finally, we are introduced by an interpreter and seated on the floor facing the king and his council of elders. The king is seated on his throne in a dark room with only one opening, behind him, through which the afternoon sun gushes in. We can only guess his outline, surrounded as he is by the golden light of the afternoon sun.
A charismatic figure in his traditional robes, he appears surprised that we have come to visit from so far. After giving us the traditional kola nuts and asking us some questions about our travels, he blesses us and gives us two (live !) guinea fowl and six yams. The story of what we did with the guinea fowl is for another day!