The Paramount Chief of Sagnari Traditional area, Ambassador Yakubu Abdulai has suggested to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government that, if it is truly committed to uniting Dagbon, it can use only six months to accomplish that objective.
That period, he said, will bring finality to over 14 years of protracted chieftaincy dispute that has brought one of the respected kingdoms in Ghana into disrepute.
The descendants of Naa Yaa Yakubu will all convene at Yendi, dine and wine as one people, he intimated. Dagbon was brought to its knees in 2002 when the overlord of Dagbon, Yaa Naa Yakubu Andani and some 40 of his elders lost their lives at the Gbewaa palace in Yendi during an attack.
Speaking to the new northern regional minister, Mr Salifu Sa-eed who was there to introduce himself at his palace in Sagnarigu, the diplomat mentioned respect, obeying customs and traditions of the area, the law and government power as the only way which government can use to bring everlasting peace to Dagbon.
“If what I have outlined are followed to the letter, I give government only six months, Dagbon will get a substantive Overlord, (Yaa Naa), within that period, government can use it to bring lasting solution to the Northern region,” he said.
The revered chief who is noted for speaking his mind on critical national issues bothering the region and his jurisdiction, told the minister and his entourage that peace in Dagbon relies solely on the government in power. According to him, the Dagbon problem occurred under a government and it is only government that is capable of bringing a solution.
“We all heard the president saying that he does not want to meddle in chieftaincy issues, but I believe the Nana Addo’s regime will resolve chieftaincy conflicts,” he stated.
He reminded the chairman of the regional security committee that the Dagbon issue has been raging for almost 14 years now and there are also rumours of tension at Kpatinga in the Gushegu district, and Bimbilla in the Nanumba North district all in the northern region which is worrying to every well meaning northerner,
“I have not spoken to the president nor his vice or the regional NPP party chairman on how the Dagbon issue should be resolved, but I have no shred of doubt that Dagbon will see peace under Nana’s presidency in spite of rumours that there will be some interference in chieftaincy matters,” the Sagnari Nana said.
He added that once Dagbon is united, Nanumg will also be peaceful. According to him, those fueling the Dagbon chieftaincy disputes are the same people in Bimbilla and other parts of the region.
“My understanding of the president not meddling in chieftaincy matters is that, he will allow the law to deal with people who engage in acts that are detrimental to the growth of the north,” he said, adding that he was more in a hurry to see some calm descend on the north, in apparent reference to the president’s assertion in his maiden state of the nation address that he was in a hurry to solve Ghana’s challenges.
Government he said must stick to the truth to unite the people of Dagbon and if it fails to adhere to truth, respect the customs and traditions of Dagbon, it will find it difficult to bring lasting solution to Dagbon. “Any government who brings lasting solution to Dagbon brings the best of wealth to the people of Dagbaon,” he told government.
He reminded the minister and members of the regional security committee that they need to intensify their intelligent gathering on Bimbilla and Kpatinga where romours are rife that there could be disturbances again in those areas.
Seizure and locking of government offices must stop
The chief has also sounded a word of caution to the governing party’s youth to stop unnecessary seizure and locking of public offices. He told the leadership of the party in the region to impress on party boys to stop such behavior. The chief reminded the governing party youth that peace is paramount because once your government is in power and you have what it takes to be employed, you will be employed.
Some youth suspected to be members of governing party, after the swearing in of president Nana Addo stormed the Sagnarigu District National Health Oiffice and issued a warning to management to stay away from work because there is a change of government and they believe those at the helms of affairs were appointed by the previous National Democratic Congress (NDC) government.
But the chief who was speaking Dagbani quoted an old adage in Dagabni that says ‘a dog with a bone in the mouth does not bark’ referring to the rampaging NPP activists allegedly on a seizing spree.