Abudu and Andani family feud re-emerge in Dagbon
After a long lull in the Abudu/Andani family feud, evidence is emerging that hostilities may re-emerge in Dagbon, unless the authorities act quickly.
The Abudu Royal Family has raised the red flag on the road map for peace, claiming that their rivals in the conflict had started stockpiling weapons, in readiness for the installation of a new Ya-Na, pointing out that it contravenes the existing agreement for peace in the kingdom.
The Andani’s have accused the National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration of tacit support for the Andani Family to flout the existing road-map for peace. “This is a recipe for conflict in Dagbon,” the Abudu Royal Family warned.
In a two-page epistle to President John Evans Atta Mills, a copy of which was dispatched to The Chronicle, “drawing attention to a growing culture of impunity and deliberate violation of the Roadmap to peace in Dagbon,” the Abudu Royal Family accused the Andani faction of what they called “a grand scheme” to unilaterally perform funerals and en-skin a new Ya-Na for the Dagbon Kingdom, contrary to the conditions for the peaceful co-existence of the two gates.
“We are reliably informed about a meeting of all regents of the Andani Gate on Sunday, 31st July, 2011, at the Kug-Na’s Palace. The Kug-Na is reported to have informed the Andani regents that the NDC government has given the green light for them to perform the funerals for their deceased fathers, to pave the way for the government to support the Kampakuya-Na to perform his late father’s (Ya-Na Yakubu Andani’s) funeral, and appoint a new Ya-Na.”
The Abudu’s claimed that their rivals had started stock-piling arms to implement their agenda. “This is a recipe for conflict in Dagbon. Neither the Kug-Na nor the Kampakuya-Na has power to authorise any regent to perform his deceased father’s funeral. Any attempt by the Kampakuya-Na or his agents to appoint a chief to skins currently occupied by regents from the Abudu Gate, will be fiercely resisted,” the letter warned.
The Abudus said any attempt to ignore the performance of the funeral rites of the late Ya-Na Mahamadu Abdulai at the Gbewaa Palace, as enshrined in the road-map for peace, would be fiercely resisted.
“As reported by the Wuaku Commission, the performance of this funeral continues to remain a major potential threat to peace in the area. It is impossible to have lasting peace in Dagbon, without allowing the funeral of the late Ya-Na Mahamadu Abdulai to be performed at the Gbewaa Palace, as directed by the 1987 Dagbon Reconciliation agreement,” the letter stated.
The letter bears the signatures of seven prominent chiefs in the Dagbon Kingdom. They are Tolon Gbon-Lana Abubakari Sulemana, Kworli Gbon-Lana Mahama Mahama, Nanaton-Na Alhasan Sule, Gushegu Gbon-Lana Abubakari Yakubu, Bamvin-Lana Abdulai Mahama, Dyeli Gbon-Lana Abdulai Abukari and Bogin-Dana A. B. Haruna.
The Abudus allege that the Kampakuya-Na continues to violate Clause F of the roadmap with impunity. “The powers of the regent shall be limited because of the peculiar circumstances in Dagbon today,” according to the epistle to the President, quoting Clause F of the Road-map to peace in Dagbon.
“In this context, the regent shall not have the powers to appoint any chiefs, or alienate any land or other resources belonging to the Dagbon State. The Kampakuya-Na has appointed chiefs and continues to dispose of lands without following due process under the road-map for peace,” the letter claimed.
The Abudus warned that the culture of impunity now emerging was a threat to peace in Dagbon, and invited the government to ponder over the consequences of the Abudu side of the family divide responding in like manner.
The letter said the Abudu Royal family did not recognise Pastor Abdulai Adam as the substantive Kuga-Na. “He is one of the people purported to have been en-skinned by the Kambakuya-Na. His appointment was in clear violation of Clause F of the road-map to peace…The Kumbakuya was also in contempt of a court injunction by a Kumasi High Court.”
The Abudus pledged their commitment to peace, but warned that they would not sit idle when impunity reigned, and asked the President to act swiftly to forestall any act or omission likely “to plunge Dagbon into another avoidable war.”
Source Ghanaian Chronicle
Category: Chieftaincy
