Future of Dagbon is bleak if gov’t fails to bring self-acclaimed Nanton chief to order-Chiefs warn

Some divisional and Sub-Chiefs in the Nanton Traditional Area have warned that the future of Nanton and Dagbon is bleak with Zoosali Lana still proclaiming himself as Paramount chief of the area.

45 out of the 75 divisional and sub-chiefs in the Nanton traditional area cautioned the government not to protect individual parochial interests to the detriment of the entire Dagbon and Ghana as a whole.

The chiefs say the president and his government continuous silence on what appeared to be state machinery supported disobedience and disrespect of the authority of the King of Dagbon in the Nanton chieftaincy affaires is worrying.

The chiefs are asking the Northern Regional Security Council and the National Security to be firm and not be seen as being bias in enforcing the authority of the Ya Na’s decision on Nanton.

The chiefs are of the view that the continue stay of the traditionally appointed and recognized paramount chief of Nantong, Naa Alhaji Mahamudu Baba Bawa V in Tamale does not argur well for the development of the area.

On April 1st this year, 18 royals assembled at Gbewaa Palace to express their interest in the Nanton skin after the successful performance of the late Nanton Na Alhaji Sulemana’s funeral.

After successful enskinment as Nanton Na by the Ya Na, the Nanton Naa Mahamudu Bawa Baba V has been living at his private residence in Tamale after Zoosali lana declared himself as Nanton Naa.

Addressing a News Conference at Wavogumo today, the chiefs say Zoosali lana Haruna Tia is a security threat.

Mr. Adam Dokurugu who read their concerns told the media that it will be in the interest of government to address the issue because it poses a serious security threat in Dagbon.

The chiefs also made a passionate appeal to the president to bring the Zoosali Lana to order before he plunks Dagbon into another unfortunate situation.

BELOW IS THE FULL STATEMENT OF THE CHIEFS

 

PRESS CONFERENCE BY 45 DIVISIONAL AND SUB CHIEFS OF NANTON TRADITIONAL AREA ON THE CURRENT USURPATION OF NANTON TOWNSHIP BY THE ZOSAL-LANA HARUNA SULEMAN

HELD TODAY THURSDAY 08 AUGUST 2019 AT WOVUGU VILLAGE, NANTON DISTRICT

Distinguished Invited Guest,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning to you all.

Today, we invite you all here, just like we did some few months ago, to express our dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs within the Nanton Traditional Area.

This meeting is about the future of Nanton and Dagbon. Whatever is happening right now in Nanton today, must be a worry because sooner than later, other over ambitious royals elsewhere will surely assembly thugs to replicate it.

Ladies and gentlemen of the media,

The Zoosal-Lana Haruna Sulemana, a.k.a Arumbees, since April this year, with the backing of some political elements in government is undermining the authority of the Ya-Na, by lawlessly occupying Nanton township, purporting to be a chief of the place without authorization by the appointing authority.

Notice is hereby served to those elements in government that the Zoosal-Lana’s behavior is a criminal misconduct calculated at challenging the authority of President Akufo-Addo’s bold and extraordinary efforts in restoring permanent peace to Dagbon.

To engender peace in the entire Dagbon and avoid needless political interference in chieftaincy, we expect government and national security apparatus to expedite action in removing Zoosal-Lana from Nanton and allow our legitimately enskinned chief Nanton Mahamadu V, to arrive home to assume his rightful traditional duties for peace and development to blossom within our Traditional Area.

This will give true meaning to the president’s assured neutrality of his government in Dagbon chieftaincy matters.     

 

Background

On April 01, this year, after the performance of late Nanton Naa Sulley’s funeral, about 18 royal contenders assembled at the Gbewaa Palace to express their interest in the Nanton Skin. After rigorous traditional and customary screening and appraisal, Nanton Naa Mahamadu V was selected by the Ya-Na as the new Nanton Naa.

Zoosal-Lana Haruna Sulemana, quickly moved to Nanton township and organized some thugs from certain external villages and communities from Nanton Traditional Area to erect unlawful road barriers, burn lorry tyres and harass unsuspecting road users, all in the name of Nanton people, who are purportedly against the choice of the Ya-Na for the Nanton Skin.

Apart from stating that the Nanton Skin is exclusively for members of the Abudu Royal and that the youth of Nanton prefer him as their chief, the Zoosal-Lana, in an audio and video recording, openly mentioned that he has built a storey building in Nanton, constructed a dam for Nanton and supported some indigenes of Nanton to pay their school fees.

We wish to remind the Zoosal-Lana that the above reasons do not qualify anybody to a title of chieftain in Dagbon. It’s the Ya-Na who has the sole authority through customary and traditional screening processes to select chiefs for any part of Dagbon, or his authorized assignee could do so on his behalf. More so, there is no single town or village in Dagbon that is traditionally exclusive to one Gate of the Dagbon divide.

Again, for the Zoosal-Lana to state  openly in that audio and video that the Ya-Na is a ‘‘committee Ya-Na’’ and in a temporary role, and therefore he is not answerable to him, smacks of gross disrespect to all chiefs and royals of Dagbon, aside its inherent security implications on the Ya-Na.

Zoosal-Lana Haruna is a security threat

Today, we wish to state that  Zoosal-Lana Haruna is not only a security risk to the people of Nanton, but the entire Dagbon State.

The Zoosal-Lana is a well known person who does not possess the capacity to indulge in this lawlessness without the support and backing of some few people in government, to treat we the people of the Nanton Traditional Area with this despicable lawlessness.

Since assuming office, the Ya-Na has enskinned over 40 chiefs to various selected towns and villages and why are over 100 unsuccessful candidates to chieftains not behaving like Zoosal-Lana?

His usual brags of being untouchable former NPP Northern Regional Chairman with the entire NPP government supporting him, and with a so-called powerful sister as a presidential staffer and an in-law interior minister (Hon. Ambrose Dery), should certainly NOT give him the audacity for impunity and lawlessness in Dagbon.

Ladies and Gentlemen

We, the 45 out of 57 sub and divisional chiefs of Nanton Traditional Area represented here, would like to appeal to H.E. President Akuffo-Addo to bring  Zoosal-Lana to order and make him account for his lawlessness and impunity in Nanton.

What he is doing has no grounds, and cannot be supported by any rational system except by over-zealous political elements ready to misuse political power to perpetuate wrong doing.

If this relative peace in Dagbon will succeed, and transcend the current government, then it must be seen by all stakeholders that the peace and unity process is seen to be boldly stitched impartially, and wrongdoers like the Zoosal-Lana held accountable to send a strong signal that, whether you are an Abudu or Andani, NDC, PNC, CPP or NPP, the scale of justice will weigh with the same standard when you dare the relative peace we all jealously cherish.

By this press conference, we would like to appeal to H.E. the President to order the deployment of the security into Nanton township and its environs to arrest all those who fall foul of the law.

We further appeal to H.E. the president to order REGSEC to take the necessary security measures to facilitate the removal of the Zoosal-Lana from Nanton and the safe arrival of our legitimately enskinned chief Nanton Naa Mahamadu V, to give true meaning to your efforts on the Dagbon Peace Process.

The people of Nanton are living in fear with the Zoosal-Lana’s thugs parading with assault weapons in the Nanton environs and mounting unauthorised road barriers at the full glare of officialdom on daily basis. The recent police swoop on one of these thugs stationed in Nanton is an example of how harnessing criminals could have dire security consequences on all peace-loving citizens.

As we (45 divisional chiefs) are in the majority, we are not oblivious of our superior power and numbers to overcome these cowards parading as brave warriors in Nanton, but our singular respect for the Dagbon Peace Process and the  President of Ghana’s vow to support the Ya-Na to unite Dagbon as ABUDANI I, gave us hope that this situation will soon change, but that is not what we are experiencing.

We would hereby like to remind President Akufo-Addo that some few chieftaincy fanatics holding sensitive political offices in your government are bent on undermining your avowed efforts to unite Dagbon. They are advancing their own negative agendas at the detriments of your government and peace in Dagbon.   

We appeal to the president to use his good offices to ensure that Nanton Naa Muhamadu V occupies his rightful Skin as the Chief of Nanton, as soon as possible, to enable us go about our daily farming and other activities without fear of intimidation.

Long live Nanton Traditional Area!

Long live Dagbon State!

Long live Ghana!

Read by Mr. Adam Dokurugu