The Andani family has registered its disgust and anger at purported government plans for the funeral rites for the late Dagbon overlord, Ya-Naa Yakubu and Mahamadu Abdulai. Asserting forcefully that they have not been consulted on the matter, senior members of the family have described the plans as speculative and meaningless.
According to the family, until the Kuga-Naa and the custodians of Dagbon outline the funeral arrangement, no one has the traditional rights to announce it, be it government officials or a member of the family.
The senior Andani family members and the children of the late Ya-Naa Yakubu Andani said the Otumfuor committee mediating in the Dagbon chieftaincy issue is only doing what it was asked to do but the customs and traditions regarding the funeral of Ya-Naa rest in the bosom of the Kuga-Naa and other elders such as the Gulkpe Naa.
On December 15, 2015, the Yoo-Naa Abukari VII Mahama issued a statement in response to the Gulkpe-Naa serving notice to the Andani family about resisting any attempt by government to perform the funerals of the late two Dagbon overlords.
The Gulkpe-Naa warned that any attempt to perform the funerals without arresting and prosecuting the alleged murderers of the late Ya-Naa Yakubu could endanger national security.
But Yoo-Naa in response stated that; “The Andani Royal family wants to make it clear to the public that Gulkpe-Naa is not a member of Andani family.” The Yoo-Naa statement also stated that the Gulkpe-Naa has not been authorised by the Andani family to make the statement attributed to him. He has never been a spokesperson of the Andani family, it said. If indeed he has made any effort to identify or find the killers, he should tell the public the efforts he made, where he made it, the statement continued.
However, a senior member of the Andani family said a prominent chief of the caliber of the Yoo-Naa would have adopted a different approach to deal with the matters at stake instead of responding in such intemperate language with the potential of exacerbating an already difficult situation in Dagbon.
They also described a statement by the Yoo Naa that he is the Head of the Andani Royal family, as misleading and not befitting someone of his caliber.
The senior members of the Andani royal family comprising, the Waribogu-Lana, the Gulkpe-Naa, the Kasuli-Lana, The Galwie Tamal-Naa and all children of the late Ya-Naa Yakubu Andani the second, at a news conference, criticized the manner in which the Yo-Naa responded to the Gulkp-Naa, who represents the Ya-Naa in Tamale.
They maintained that, the Gulkpe-Naa is the liaison between the government and the people of Dagbon and has every right to comment on government decisions on matters pertaining to Dagbon.
The Galwei Tamal-Naa O.S Mahamadu read the position of the senior members and the children of the late Ya-Naa Yakubu to the media at the Gulkpe-Naa’s Palace in Tamale. He said the Yo-Naa’s statement should not be coming from someone who claims to be the head of Andani Royal Family.
One of the sons of the late overlord, told journalists that all his children fully support the position taken by the senior members of the Andani family. What the senior members of our family said is in line with customs and traditions of Dagbon and we are not against it, he added.
