Naajeri is one of the three
royal gates in the Wa traditional and chieftaincy system. With their
traditional and administrative capital at Yaru, the people of Naajeri
are spiritually dominant among their co-equals. They have produced one
of the greatest leaders in the Waala tradition: Wa-naa Sidiki Bomi.
Polee is a humble village with total population of about 1,500
residents. The rugged terrain of Polee makes one easily suspect of
mineral deposits, though this has not yet been confirmed. The community
is located between Wa Municipality and Wa West district, a few
kilometres away from the Wa-Kumasi trunk road to the west.
The people of Polee engage
in farming and river fishing. Sorghum, legumes and yams are their main
food crops, with shea nuts being their cash crop. Livestock is also kept
on quite substantial scale. They also weave baskets, and ‘zana’ mats.
The Ghana cedi is the official currency yet cowries are also used
certain transactions.
Naajeri has a rich cultural
display especially during funerals and festivals such as the Dumba and
Jinbenti. Special feasts are like fried ‘bonbo’ and kaanha (bean cake)
are served during funeral rites of any the royals.
Rural urban drift among the
youth is very high as the illiteracy rate among them is close to 90%.
Guinea worm until recently was very common among them, because they
lack portable sources of drinking water. As at now this community can
not boast of a single borehole. Children have to foot a five kilometre
distance each day to attend school, and likewise for health a primary
facility. Environmental conservation is not to known to the people of
Polee as most of the also rely on charcoal burning for a living. Trees
are indiscriminately felled without any replacement.