Zabré – In a significant move to bolster traditional leadership and enhance their role in national development, the Bissa customary chiefs inaugurated the High Council of Bissa Customary and Traditional Chieftaincy this Tuesday. The formation took place at the palace of Naaba Kougri, the canton chief of Zabré, and was attended by fifteen canton chiefs and sixty village chiefs.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the meeting commenced at 10 a.m. with the chief of the canton of Zabré presiding over the event. The chiefs gathered to establish the governing structures of the newly formed council. Naaba Sadigba, president of the association of customary chiefs of the canton of Zabré and the event’s spokesperson, opened the meeting with a call for divine and ancestral guidance.

The organizational details were further outlined by the head of the canton of Bané, who serves as the president of the organizing committee. He presented the internal regulations and statutes of the High Council for amendments and approval. During his address, he also showcased his Bissa customary chieftaincy cap, which was officially inaugurated last month in Garango. The leader expressed his intentions to request a meeting with Captain Ibrahim Traoré, the Head of State, to formally introduce the council and affirm its support for his administration.

The council’s objectives are to leverage cultural heritage for national development, enhance social cohesion, and contribute to security and peace efforts. A fundraising event is also in the pipeline to support these initiatives. Following the general assembly, the canton chiefs convened in a private session to elect the executive office, nominating the canton chief of Zabré as the president for a one-year term.