Abudu and Andani youth leaders join CSOs preaching peace

National leaders of the Abudu and the Andani youth associations have joined forces with the National Peace Council and other Civil Society Organizations intensifying peace advocacy in the Dagbon State.

The Andani Youth Association National Chairman, Alhaji Abdulai Anass and Alhaji Mugisu Sibawey, leading the Abudu youth front are part of a delegation of CSOs meeting stakeholders in Dagbon.

Their major priority is to ensure a smooth implementation of the final roadmap to peace in Dagbon.

The two youth leaders are more convinced that the final roadmap to peace is the panacea to solving the age-long chieftaincy impasse between the Abudu and the Andani Royals in Dagbon.

Alhaji Anass in an interview called for genuine reconciliation and unity among Dagombas.

He said the youth of Dagbon are duty bound to help restore lasting peace in the area.

"My message to the youth of Dagbon is that every Dagbana should endeavor to ensure that the roadmap that has been released by the Eminent Chiefs and endorsed by government is followed strictly and patiently to ensure that we behave in a manner that will not disturb the peace in anyway or in any form to realize the dream of the roadmap."

"So on that score I will appeal to all the youth both in Andaniyili and Abuduyili to make sure that nothing untoward happens during the implementation of this roadmap."

Alhaji Abdulai Anass maintained that the final roadmap is the surest way of peace restoration in Dagbon.

On his part, the Abudu youth national President, Alhaji Mugisu Sibawey stressed that Dagbon deserved peace and unity.

"Now that we have the roadmap to work between the Abudus and the Andanis right from now there is no problem between Abudus and Andanis, we are one."

"So we are appealing to the youth to come together and have the two late Kings funerals performed and then we have Yaa-Naa so that we will have development in our region."

Alhaji Mugisu admonished the youth of Dagbon to ignore chieftaincy contractors and strictly comply with the final roadmap.

The National Peace Council in collaboration with the Dagbon Forum and the West Africa Network for Peace Building (WANEP) Ghana brought the two Dagbon youth leaders galvanize all Dagombas to participate in the performance of the funerals of the late two Overlords of Dagbon, Yaa-Naa Mahamadu Abdulai IV and Yaa-Naa Yakubu Andani II.

The team has so far met with prominent stakeholders including the Dagbon Kingmakers, Chiefs, Regents and youth groups.

The national Chairman of Dagbon Forum (DF) Dr. Abdulai Sulemana alias Mobson explained the delegation's agenda saying, "The purpose of this visit, and others carried in Yendi yesterday was to engage these stakeholders to foster understanding of the road map and explore ways of eliminating any potential sources of tension and instability."

"Yesterday’s visit enabled us to meet the Kug Naa, Gomli, Tugrinam, and Kpahigu who are the Kingmakers in Dagbon. The meeting was open and frank, touching on issues which were useful towards the implementation of the roadmap."

Dr. Abdulai further narrated that, "We then proceeded to meet the Regent of Dagbon, Nyab Kampakuya- Naa at the Gbewaa Palace where His Royal Highness raised issues around information flow on the roadmap, which we subsequently passed onto the Municipal Security Council (MUSEC)."

"We then visited the Boling- Lana where the reception was equally friendly. Some issues on logistics for the funerals were raised which again, we passed on to the relevant authorities."

"The visit to Mba Zohi Naa was also very positive. The Gundo Naa was equally positive. She was pleased that after so many years of discord peace was imminent at last."

He said the delegation at a mammoth meeting with Abudu and Andani youth called on them to avoid the ‘victor’ and ‘vanquished’ mentality and rather help the security operatives to smoke out troublemakers and deal with them.

Apart from the two Dagbon youth leaders and Dr. Abdulai Sulemana, other members of the team are Alhaji Nurudeen A. Moomeen, Apostle Isaac Nii Kotei Djan and Abukari Nunu representing the National Peace Council and Albert Yelyang from WANEP-Ghana.