Alhaji Ayana Yakubu receives vehicle for 40-hour walking feat to President Mahama’s inauguration
A 65-year-old herbalist, Alhaji Ayana Yakubu, has been gifted a vehicle and an undisclosed sum of money by an anonymous philanthropist after completing a remarkable 40-hour, 31-minute walk from Kumasi in the Ashanti Region to Accra.
The walk, which ended on January 7, was undertaken to celebrate the peaceful atmosphere during Ghana’s recent general election.
Alhaji Yakubu’s journey, which spanned over 200 kilometres, was a personal tribute to the discipline and peaceful behaviour exhibited by Ghanaians during the elections period.
Handing over the vehicle to him at a short ceremony held at the Black Star Square in Accra, media personality and fashion designer, Mr Kofi Okyere Darko, popularly known as KOD, presented a Renault Kwid vehicle to Alhaji Yakubu on behalf of the anonymous philanthropist.
Mr Darko praised the herbalist for his extraordinary patriotism and commitment to peace.
“This man right here is the kind we need to honour as a people. His love for peace is what made him embark on such a journey just to make people understand how we value and appreciate everyone who played a role in promoting peace in our beloved country,” he added.
In addition to the car, Alhaji Yakubu received clothing worth GH¢5,000.00 from Mr Darko’s fashion brand, 1957 Fashion, as a token of appreciation for his efforts in promoting peaceful coexistence in the country.
The fashion designer emphasised the importance of celebrating individuals who contribute positively to society, especially in the promotion of peace.
Acording to Mr Darko, Alhaji Yakubu’s walk has not only drawn attention to the role of individual efforts in national peace-building but has also earned him widespread admiration for his commitment to the values of discipline, unity, and patriotism.
Alhaji Yakubu, a seasoned traveller, shared that this was not his first long-distance walk.
He recounted a previous journey where he walked to the Libyan border from Northern Ghana.
He expressed his gratitude to the philanthropist for the thoughtful gifts, saying, “I am truly thankful for the generousity, and I will continue to support peace in this country as a patriotic citizen.”
“I was mainly driven by the discipline exhibited by most Ghanaians during the electioneering period, which contributed to the peaceful atmosphere during the elections.”
Alhaji Yakubu has previously engaged in similar symbolic journeys.
In 1997, he is said to have walked in honour of former President, Jerry John Rawlings’, second-term inauguration.
Additionally, in 1999, he organised a 16-kilometre peace and health walk in Tamale on Independence Day, aimed at fostering national unity and promoting health.
BY RAISSA SAMBOU
