Confusion over burial of Nakpa Naa

The Chiefs of Nanumba Traditional Area and the Dasana family in the Bimbila protracted dynastic dispute in Northern region, have strongly condemned a decision taken by the Regional Security Council headed by the minister, Salifu Saeed to grant the request for the burial of the late Nakpa Naa Salifu Dawuni.

Preparation is underway by rival faction amidst fears of violence for the arrival of body of the chief.

The Security Council on Tuesday, October 10, 2017, gave a flying order to authorities of the Yendi Municipal Hospital requesting for the release of body of the late chief from the morgue and be handed over to the family for burial.

According to the REGSEC the decision was based “on a medical report on the deteriorating state of the mortal remain” of the chief who died on 5th March ,2014.

It explained the decision was without prejudice to the chieftaincy dispute which was determined by the National House of Chiefs but currently pending before the supreme Court for final determination and therefore advised the family not to engage in any action that will endanger the peace of the area.

Already about 200 joint security force have been deployed to guard the ceremony which comes off tomorrow, Thursday, October 12, 2017.

The body of the late Nakpa Naa who laid claim to the Bimbila skin was seized in 2014 by the previous Security Council and kept at the facility under tight security watch after violence among the Gbugmayili gate over who to represent the family for the Bimbila skin after the death of a chief coming from the Bangyili faction.

Naa Salifu Dawuni and Naa Andani Dasana were both enskinned as Bimbila Naa by different authority and after several clashes between the factions, the matter was sent to court but both contenders died while it was still being heard at various authorities including National House of Chiefs.

The late Nakpa Naa died at Nakpayili but Naa Andani who at the time was the sitting chief of Bimbila was assassinated at his palace. He was buried in Bimbila and the family has since opposed efforts by the other family to bury the Nakpa Naa at the traditional burial ground in Bimbila.

Sporadic clashes have been recorded in the area following the misunderstanding and after three years of uncertainty, the regional security council gave the explosive decision which has risen tensions in Bimbila and Tamale.

In a brief press conference in Tamale, the group of sub chiefs in the Nanun area said they were “interested in having lasting solution to the Nanung chieftaincy crisis as soon as possible but added to ready to condone any illegality.”

The chiefs demanding clarity from the Security Council asked where the body would be buried and also legal documents proofing that the body of the late Nakpa Naa should be buried now.

They served a notice stressing that they will resist any attempt to bury the late chief in Bimbila town saying because he had never been enskinned as Bimibila Naa.

Leader of the chiefs, Bakpabanaa Nantogmah Adam warned that any attempt to bury the late chief in Bimbila would not bring peace and unity rather aggravate the conflict situation.

He condemned what they called political intervention and appealed to the President to punish the politicians driving the illegality before “they turn the entire Nanung into chaos”.

“We recall that the President, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo Addo in his recent visit to some parts of the Northern Region indicated that his government would not interfere in any chieftaincy matters, he even warned that, he the president, would not hesitate to sanction any of his appointees who meddle in any chieftaincy affairs, we pause to here to ask whether the Bimbila chieftaincy crisis is part of the chieftaincy issues that His Excellency was talking about”

“We suspect strongly that some politicians in the Nanung are behind this evil plans to forcefully bury the late Nakpa Naa Dawuni in Bimbila against the norms and customs of the traditional area. We are hereby appealing to President Akufo Addo please walk your talk by bringing such politicians before they turn the entire Nanung into chaos”, the chiefs said in the news conference.

The Regent of the area, Yelibobgunaa Naa Salifu Dasana also criticized the decision by the Security Council earlier in an exclusive interview with Kasapa News calling it “political and infortune”.

He said though they were indications that the rival faction was in preparation for the burial, he as Regent was yet to receive any communication from the minister who heads the Council.

“They are going to use government power to do everything so we have nothing to say because we haven’t received any letter, no communication; nothing. It is an issue of politicians involving themselves into chieftaincy issues, that is all. Burial of chiefs should have consultation with traditional authorities which is not done.

“What it means is that, somebody campaign promise has to be fulfill. When you use chieftaincy disputes to campaign on platform that is what you face, you will not be able to follow the appropriate quarters to do anything right”, the Regent explained, adding, though there was widespread uneasy calm, but he had called for restraint.