The Andani royal family in Dagbon has described the Abudu royal family’s statement on the renovation of Gbewaa palace and the performance of the Ya-Na Mahamadu Abdulai IV funeral as deceitful and purposefully mischievous.
The Andanis said the Abudus’ press conference in Yendi was founded on falsehood and demonstrates downright ignorance of the traditions and customs of Dagbon.
The Andanis say the genesis of the current problem was the murder of the late overlord of Dagbon, Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II.
This, the Andanis say, is a fact is known to every Ghanaians except those who wrote the Abudu family statement.
According to the Andanis, the committee of eminent kings, comprising the Asantehene, the Nayiri and the Yagbonwura was constituted by former President Kufour in 2003, to find solutions to the traditional issues arising from the murder of Ya-Naa Yakubu II.
A statement issued and signed by a member of the Andani family, the Vo-Naa Mahamadu, said the current government encored the mandate of the committee to bring its work to conclusion.
The statement explained that the eminent kings committee was urged to use the traditions and customs of Dagbon as basis to discharge its mandate but not to change or impose new traditions and customs on Dagbon as Vahindi –Na Dr Nantogmah Mahama want Ghanaians to believe.
It said attempts by the Abudus to mislead the committee mediating on the Dagbon issue with unknown traditional and customary practices and the painstaking resistance to debunk it contributed significantly to the prolonged duration of the work of the committee.
Vahinndi-Naa the statement said conveniently failed to mention a seven-member committee of three Chiefs each from Abudu and Andani and the Kuga-Na, who belong to neither side as the chairman, was set up to oversee the implementation of the roadmap.
The statement further explained that nomination and ascension to the office of Kuga-Na is not the prerogative of the Gbewaa palace but rather strictly for members of the clan of Kuga-Nas to nominate. It said the Gbewaa palace is only notified as a formality and the one chosen is en-skinned.
Kuga-Na who is the chief custodian of the customs of Dagbon and Vice President of Dagbon Traditional Council office should not be vacant beyond a certain period of time.
The late Kuga-Na Abdulai Braimah the statement added died and the Kuga clan in accordance with customs nominated the current Kuga-Na Abdulai Adam. It said the enskinment of the Kuga-Nawas was in conformity with Dagbon customs.
The statement also stated that the Abudus representative on several occasions reposed their confidence on the Kuga-Na and that it cannot be true that the Otumfuo committee is legitimizing the office of the Kuga-Na.
The Andanis says they are prepared to cooperate with the government on the performance of the funeral the late Ya-Na Yakubu II. The Andani family is therefore calling on government to intensify its search and investigations for murderers of the King for prosecution.
BELOW IS THE FULL STATEMENT
PRESENTATION OF ANDANI ROYAL FAMILY BEING A REJOINDER TO THE PRESS STATEMENT OF ABUDU ROYAL FAMILY ISSUED ON 11TH JANUARY 2016
The attention of the Andani Royal family of Dagbon has been drawn to a statement signed by one Vahindi – Na Dr. Nantogmah Mahama on behalf of Abudu Royal Family with the heading:
“Statement read at a Press Conference organized in Yendi by the Abudu Royal Family on the Renovation of the Gbewaa Palace and the Performance of the Funeral of Ya-Na Mahahmadu Abdulai IV”.
The statement in reference, to say the least, is deceitful, purposefully mischievous, founded on falsehood and demonstrates downright ignorance of the Traditions and Customs of Dagbon.
The genesis of the current situation of Dagbon is the murder of the late Overlord of Dagbon, Ya-Na Yakubu II. This fact is well –known to all Ghanaians but the author(s) of the statement we are reacting to have decided to be oblivious of it.
The committee of Eminent Kings, compromising the Asantehene, the Nayiri, and the Yagbonwura was constituted by President J. A. Kufuor in 2003, to find solution to the Traditional issues arising from the murder of Na Yakubu II. The current government encored the mandate of the Committee to bring its work to conclusion.
The statement read by Vahindi – Na Dr. Nantogmah Mahama makes reference to a Roadmap to Peace meant to guide the Committee’s search for a peaceful resolution of the matters arising. The Committee was enjoined to use the Traditions and Customs of Dagbon as basis to discharge its mandate. It was not to change or impose new te=raditions and customs on Dagbon. It did not operate in a vacuum. Vahindi – Na, Dr. Nantogmah Mahama in the statement he read infers otherwise. Indeed attempts by the Abudu Family to mislead the Committee with unknown traditional and customary practices and the painstaking resistance to debunk such attempts has significantly contributed to the prolonged duration of the work of the committee. Vahindi – Na has conveniently failed to mention that a seven – member committee of three (3) Chiefs each from Abudu and Andani and the Kuga – Na, who belong to neither side as the Chairman, was set up to oversee the implementation of the Roadmap.
Nomination and thereby ascension to the office of Kuga – Na is not the prerogative of the Gbewaa Palace. It is strictly for members of the clan of Kuga –Na to nominate. The Gbewaa Palace is notified as formality and the one chosen is enskinned. He being chief custodian of the customs of Dagbon also Vice President of the Dagbon Traditional Council, the office of the Kuga – Na should not be vacant beyond a certain period of time. The late Kuga – Na Abdulai Braimah headed the seven member committee at its inception. He passed on and the Kuga clan in accordance with custom nominated the incumbent Kuga – Na Abdulai Adam and notified the Gbewaa Palace by custom upon which he was enskinned. His enskinment was therefore in strict conformity with Dagbon custom. It is most unfortunate that the so –called Vahindi – Na, called him a usurper. Unless he Vahindi – Na is not a true royal of Dagbon, we expect that the spirits of the Kuga skin would certainly deal with him for making that sacrilegious statement about the revered Kuga –Na.
On the issue of the Otumfuo Committee legitimizing the office of the Kuga –Na gives the authors of the press conference away not being in touch with their representatives on the committee. Their representatives on the committee have on several occasions reposed their confidence on the Kuga – Na as the grandfather of all chiefs and princes in Dagbon. Beside this fact, the Kuga- Na was not an ordinary person in his private life in Dagbon.
He was both the grandson and son of a Kuga –Naa. He also contested with five other contestants for the namship of Kuga and became victorious among them. Such are the qualities of the person the supposed spokesman of the Abudu Family prefers to call a usurper.
For the purpose of clarification ladies and gentlemen of the press, the criteria for qualifying to contest for the namship of Kuga are as follows:
1. One must be the son of a Kuga –Naa, or
2. The grandson of a Kuga –Na, or
3. The son of a Kuga Na’s daughter.
The present Kuga –Na is a son of Kuga – Na Adam. If members of the Abudu Family who prepared the press briefing were too young to know this fact, let them know. And if they did that for a mischief, it achieved nothing. Their mischievous statements has only strengthened Kuga –Na and made him ever more determined to do what is customarily right in Dagbon.
On the funeral of Na Mahamadu Adbulai IV, it is absolutely untrue that it is to be performed in the Gbewaa Palace. Throughout the sittings of the committee of Enminent Kings, the Abudu Family could not cite one instance in the history of Dagbon when the funeral of any deposed chief, a Ya –Na or even a lower chief, was performed in the Palace other than where he died. As a matter of fact we are not aware of the Committee ever agreeing to the absurd position of Abudu Family that the funeral of the late Mahamadu Abdulai be performed in the Gbewaa Palace. We are only aware that it was agreed by all stakeholders before the Committee that a selected number of Abudu Family members, including the children of the late Mahamadu Abdulai would be allowed under escort into Katini to perofrm some rites, namely to place their shaved hair on Mahamadu’s tomb.
In 1988 when Mahamadu Abdulai died, the then Government of the PNDC was hoodwinked into allowing his burial in the Royal Mausoleum on agreed terms between Na Yakubu II and the Abudu Family represented by Nanton Na Sule, the Late Mion Lana A. A. Ziblim and the late Kariga Lana Dokurugu Alhassan. The then Regional Secretary Mr. John E. Bawa and the late Mahammi an aide to the late Na Yakubu II witnessed this agreement. The primary issue agreed on was that the funeral of the late Mahamadu Abdulai would never be performed in the Gbewaa Palace. Are we now to understand that the Abudu Family attacked and murdered Na Yakubu II to gain access to the Gbewaa Palace to perform the late Mahamadu Abdulai’s funeral?
It was needless to argue with members of the Abudu Family over ownership pf the Gbewaa Palace which was defiled on 27th March, 2002. The facts of that Palace as Dagbon state property constructed as a compound in the Palace complex during Na Andani II’s reign is well known by Dagbon elders and royals who are truthful. No amount of lying will help members of Abudu family on this issue.
On the allegation that assurances were given to them at various times by his Excellency John Dramani Mahama and Oyumfuor Osei Tutu II that the defiled Gbewaa Palace would be rehabilitated for their occupation, we may say that only the two distinguished personalities can tell the truth or otherwise of this clan by the Abudu Family in their press statement.
We are appealing to good members of the Abudu Family, especially those who are unhappy about the present state of Dagbon chieftancy, to join us to influence the unrepentant ones to abandon their unproductive stance for the good of all royals.
We are indeed shocked that members of the Abudu family are threathing to occupy the Gbewaa Palace by force to perform the funeral rites of Mahamadu Abudulai. We are shocked that they have gone further to give an ultimatum to the Governmnet that should it not heed to their wrongful and uncustomary demand to renovate Gbewaa Palace by 25 January they will adopt all necessary means whether violent or otherwise to gain access to the Gbewaa Palace. We wish to remind them of what happened to the recalcitrants members of their family when they disobeyed the orders of the government and entered the Palace during President Kufuor’s Administration.
They should not think that the Government led by President Mahama which they alleged has promised to allow them enter the palace is such a toothless bulldog that it would not be able to bite them when they defy custom, tradition and reason and enter the palace.
We want to remind the hawks in Abudu family that we will not allow their family which constitutes just twenty percent of Dagbon to continue to bark and threaten to disturb the peace of Dagbon.
We take this opportunity to advise Vahindi –Na and few unreasonable members and sympathizers of the Abudu Royal Family not to carry out their threat to occupy the old and defiled Gbewaa Palace on or after 25th January, 2016 oron any date thereafter. Occupation of the old Gbewaa Palace by them woild amount to declaring war on us members of the Andani Royal Family, and there would be terrible consequences. We hope that the good and reasonable members of the Abudu Family would take this advice and prevail on the unreasonable ones to be very careful.
Since members of the Abudu Family did not seize the opportunity given them to perform the funeral of Mahamadu Abudulai, we of the Andani Family are willing and ready to perform the funeral rites of our late illustrious king, Ya –Na Yakubu II. Notwithstanding our preparedness to cooperate with the government on the performance to intensify their search and investigation for the killers of our king for prosecution. For the convenience of the government and security agencies the Head of Andani Royal Family together with his family elders will shortly confer with the government and the Oyumfuo Committee to come out with a new date for the performance of Na – Yakubu II funeral as soon as practicable.
Long live Dagbon and its chieftancy.
Long live Ghana.
Issued this 17th day of January, 2016.
VO –NAA MAHAMADU
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