Lay down your arms and resort to due process- House of Chiefs appeal to Bimbilla feuding factions
The President of the Northern Regional House of Chiefs, Yogbon Wura Tumtumba Bore Essa II has called on all the warring factions in the Bimbilla chieftaincy dispute to let peace prevail in the Nanumg traditional area.
The Yagbon Wura told the people of Nanumg that the northern region is chafing under six curfews all as a direct consequence of chieftaincy disputes and impacting economic activities. He described it as an unfortunate situation that should not be allowed to continue.
His message was conveyed to the people of Bimbilla by the Tuluwe Wura, Alhaji Rashid Mahama, who led a seven member delegation from the regional house of chiefs to the area. Besides sympathizing with the regent of Bimbilla for the unfortunate incident, the delegation also consoled the families of those who lost their relatives in the violence; about ten people including children and women were reportedly killed.
The delegation included representatives of the Regent of Dagbon -Kampakuya Naa Abdulai Andani Yakubu by the paramount chief of Sagnarigu traditional area, Ambassador Yakubu Abdulai and the chief of Savelugu, Yoo Naa Abukari Mahama . The Nayiri Naa Mahami Bohigu Shariga was represented by the Kpe Naaba F.Y .
Members of the delegation took turns to call for cool heads to prevail to promote peaceful coexistence. The Tuluwe Wura pleaded with all factions to lay down their weapons to enable peace take root.
According to the Tuluwe Wura, there is a common law in Ghana which allows for amicable solutions problems and resorting to violence was not the not best way to resolve any impasse.
The paramount chief of Savelugu traditional area, Yoo Naa Abukari Mahama said the chiefs in Dagbon are saddened by the events in Bimbilla and appealed to both sides that using firearms was not longer a remedy in any dispute.
The delegation met with both sides emphasizing the need for them smoke the peace pipe.
Nyenbolingu-Naa Yakubu Andani Dasana, the regent of Bimbilla, thanked the house for for the visit. He told the delegation that his side has exercised enough restrain in spite of consistent attacks and killing of its people all in the name of ascending to the throne.
He urged the leadership to impress on the other side to allow the law to work. He went on further to inform the delegation that the recent killings have nothing to do Naakpaa Naa and the Naa Dasana families but rather were targeted at the king maker of the area, Kpatihi Naa Azumah Nantogmah.
According to him, even though the other side had lost cases in court, it still didn’t want him to perform his traditional duty mandated by the law and customs of Bimbilla. “If am smiling and you are not happy leave and wait for the Supreme Court ruling but you don’t take up arms and start killing people because you want to be a Bimbilla Naa,” the regent said.
He accused the house of Chiefs of not speaking on the matter and not condemning the actions of the other side. “The Nanumg traditional council has no mouth piece but you (house of Chiefs) but you are not speaking,” he added. “I may not have read widely but I never came across a statement from the House of Chiefs on the 2014 murder of my father and butchers disrespecting the central authority of Bimbilla,” the aggrieved regent lamented.
House of chief Lawyer refuted allegations
The lawyer for the House of Chiefs, Mr. Yakubu Abdul Fatawu prayed for God’s patience for Nyenbolin Naa because he is the head of Nanumg and he must preserve all what is in Nanumg.
“We are living in a country of laws where law governs everything and it worth reminding the various factions that every issue must channeled through the lay down procedures to unraveled the truth,” the lawyer stated.
He also exonerated the House from the accusations leveled against it for not showing or speaking on the violence that occurred in the area and claiming several people lives.
“No matter what it is, there is a procedure laid down by law to air your grievances and for the truth to be verified, so when you are on the right side of the truth, you need to add patience for the truth to come out,” the lawyer pleaded.
Lawyer Fatawu explained that the House was a court which adjudicates chieftaincy cases brought before it and can’t condemn or speak for any feuding side in any traditional area.
Naakpa Naa family not happy
A family member of the Naakpa Naa faction, Mr. Iddrisu Habi expressed their gratefulness to the delegation for visiting them for the first time since the demise of the late Naakpaa Naa. He said for almost three years ago when the chief died, no one from the House of Chiefs has ever bothered to visit.
He said the family isn’t happy that the elders seem to be deceiving the younger generation when it comes to chieftaincy matters. According to him, in the three kingdoms of the northern region, a regent cannot maintain his real name without any chieftaincy title, but in Nanumg that’s what is happening and the elders sit unconcerned. “If the aim of the Naakpaa Naa family was to be unjust to the Andani Dasana family, God should punish us,” he said.
The Naakpaa Naa family also expressed its displeasure about the behavior of the new secretary to the Nanumg traditional council and urged the regional house of Chiefs to replace him because he has taken sides in the fight. They accused him of not briefing them about events at the Nanumg traditional council and called for a change in his attitude. “We don’t recognize him,” the family said.
The Tuluwe Wura in response reiterated the house of Chiefs position of ensuring peace in the Nanumg traditional area. He pleaded to all the warring factions to let the past events go for the interest of peace in the area. “The house is learning its lessons and their work will definitely improve to ensure peace in all the traditional kingdoms, ” he said.