North doomed to periodic bouts of violence’ unfortunately that is an uncomfortable truth.

Is the northern region doomed to periodic cycles of bloodcurdling violence? This is a highly sensitive question, one that rubs many northerners the wrong way and provides no immediate answers. However, events in the last week and three weeks prior, do not help the region shed its image as violence prone.

Is it any wonder that our region seem to crawl with flash-points, each one of them pregnant with violence. Just cast your mind back to the recent violence that has convulsed the region: the confrontation between Basares and Konkombas in the Tatale district over a very trivial issue — political representation. These are neighbors who have peacefully shared the same environment for hundreds of years, intermarrying and celebrating the same festivals, in short, doing all the things nice neighbors do.

Then there was the political explosion in Chereponi resulting in the deaths of three residents. It was, reportedly, a rather silly inter-party argument between NDC supporters and NPP loyalists that got out of hand and escalated into violence.

Of course, one will be amiss to speak of violence in the north and not mention Bawku, a town that continues to suffer disproportionately from bouts of troubling confrontations between rival chieftaincy groups.

And just last week, Bimbilla witnessed a carnage that has the region and the nation reeling in shock. Violence boiled over in that small town and ten were reportedly killed. Victims included the most vulnerable in society, women and children.

Sad as these violent incidences are that they reflect a fundamental breakdown of societal values. Violence, unfortunately, has become an integral part of our proud culture. Much as we may dislike the moniker, it is an identifier closely linked to the north.

Resorting to this abhorrent behavior instead of dialogue and compromise to settle even the most trivial of disputes is regressive, shameful, and honestly belongs to bygone eras when violence was an accepted way of life.

The net impact of this violence is that the north continues to be far behind the development curve, and sadly the laughing stock of the entire country; we brought it upon ourselves.  Poverty remains deep in our region and unemployment continues to bedevil our young men and women disproportionately.

And those investors and non profit groups who have us at heart, and are deeply concerned about the region and therefore pump in vast amounts of their money and their precious time to help us confront our challenges, pack their bags and make a quick dash out of the region for the simple reason that the violence scares them stiff.

I don’t, indeed, no one knows what it will take to get some of our people who still cling to this anachronistic way of life to understand that violence get us nowhere. Violence stains our reputation as hard working folks and keeps our region in a time warp that is ancient and archaic.

Taming this violence monster will require sustained efforts by progressive northerners, those who live and breathe everything northern. We live in modern times and violence in all its forms should be roundly condemned.