Gonja chiefs must not visit Akufo-Addo - Gonjaland Youth

The Gonjaland Youth Association in the Northern region has advised the Overlord of the Gonja Traditional Council Yagbonwura Tutumba Bore Essah I and chiefs in the Gonjaland to cancel a meeting to congratulate president elect Nana Addo for victory in the 2016 elections.

Instead the association wants the chiefs to commiserate with their kin, the outgoing president John Dramani Mahama over the election defeat.

Mahama Haruna public relations officer of the group in an interview with StarrNews said Gonjas must not desert Mr. Mahama in the time of need.

“President John Dramani Mahama is our own (son) who is still ‘mourning’ . Are we going to tell the whole world that we are happy he lost and that we don’t share in his grief? Is President Mahama’s pain not our pain?”, Haruna quized.

The Dagbon and the Mamprugu Traditional Councils in what has been widely condemned paid a ‘hasty’ visit to the president elect who had begun sending grateful acknowledgement to traditional rulers.

Many who strongly criticised the two traditional councils argued the chiefs cheapen themselves and the people they rule and call for self respect.

After vising the Ga traditional council, the Asanteman council and the Asogli state the group spokeperson believes it is disrespectful for the President elect to expect chiefs from the north to rather visit him after a massive electoral support.

“I thought it’s rather the President elect and his running mate who are going round greeting traditional rulers. Why the rush from Gonja Chiefs to go to him.What is public knowledge is that he is visiting traditional councils and thanking them”

“If the Asanteman Council, the Ga Traditional Council and the Asogli State can wait for him to come to them why cant the Gonja Kingdom also wait for the President elect to give them the necessary respect by calling on them?

Has any southern ethnic chief rushed to congratulate the President elect?”

In response, secretary to the Yagbonwura Mr. Abudu Kopori said the association has judged amiss saying the overlord had no intention to visit the president elect.

Relationship between president Mahama and his tribesmen [some Gonja chiefs]has hit a new low after he failed severally to visit the Gonjaland during his extravagant campaign tours to the region that led to his crushing defeat in the just ended polls.