Wa Naa’s Palace

Situated in the heart of Wa, capital of the Upper West Region, is over a century old palace that serves as the official residence of the Wa Naa (Overlord of Wala Traditional Area) his immediate family and some of his servants.

Gazetted as a national monument, the Wa Naa’s Palace is an example of traditional Sudanese mud-brick architecture that has been there for over 100 years. It is regarded as the heart of the Wala people, a major cultural attraction and also holds political, religious, and social significance for local residents.

The palace has many compounds which accommodate the numerous gates who have occupied the throne.

Initially built in 1889, the palace was in the form of the Mole-Dagban round thatched cottage. However, through the initiative of the then Wa Naa, Naa Yamusa Pelpuo III, the round thatched cottage was rebuilt with a western Sudanese architectural design from 1919 to 1920. The current western Sudanese structure is, therefore, over a 100 years old.

The structure is made of mud bricks, sun-dried mud walls and Y-shaped wooden columns that support the flat roof covered with mud.

The frontage comprises buttresses with pinnacles that rise above the parapet.

Significance of palace

Aside from being the official residence of the Wa Naa, it is also the venue for all the significant traditional ceremonies of the people such as the Dumba and Jinbenti festivals, enskinment of a new Wa Naa and other paramount chiefs. The forecourt of the palace also serves as a graveyard for past Wa Naas.

In the political and cultural arena, it is the headquarters of the Wala Kingdom. Its unique architecture is a major attraction that has brought several tourists to the area over the years.