Late Nakpa Na family requests government to release body for burial

The family of late Nakpa Na Salifu Dawuni in the grinding chieftaincy dispute in Bimbila has written through the Inspector General of Police to President Akuffo Addo led government requesting for the release of body of the late contentious Chief to be buried in Bimbila as Bimbila Na.

This move breaches many peace roadmaps and has compelled the new Regional Minister to suspend a support soliciting tour.

The letter written by the family head Sagnarigu Na Shani Azumah gave government and security heads until 10th March to respond to the request to turn over the late chief’s body allegedly seized by the previous government and kept in morgue since he died in 2014.

The letter said it hoped government would comply with ease and without any opposition.

Spokesman for the family Adam Fuseini Mustapha confirmed the letter exclusively to Ultimate news and said the family request also indicated the late Nakpa Na was to be buried in Bimbila at his private home as Bimbila Na.

“The family has written to the authorities concerned to take permission from them to lie the old man to rest. We have written to them and we are giving them up to 10th of next month not as a day we want to bury but as a day we want to get a feedback from the authorities”.

Adam Fuseini said it would be “unfair” and violence would persist if government turn down the inflammable request.

“If my father has died for over three years now and he is still in the morgue and an ordinary group of persons come out to say that we will not allow this man to put to rest then im there and day in-day-out they beat drum and dance, they go out About their normal duties and we understand the drum language so what happens?, I may be able to control myself but not all situation”, Adam told Ultimate News.

Divisions were created among members of the Gbugmayili gate after Nakpa Na Salifu Dawuni and Bimbila Na were both enskinned by different King makers as Bimbila King. Both contenders died while matter was being heard at various authorities including the National House of Chiefs.

The matter is currently being heard at the Supreme Court after both the Regional and National House Chiefs ruled favour of the late Naa Dassana. He was killed four months after the death of the Nakpa Naa and was buried in Bimbila as Chief of Bimbila.

The family of the late Napka Na has insisted it will bury him in Bimbila contending that he was also enskinned as chief of Bimbila by legitimate kingmakers of Nanung (Bimbila Na), a confusion which has returned mass killing to the poverty overwhelmed townlet.

When Ultimate News asked whether the family had pondered over the ramifications of their request as many believe it has propensity to spark a full blown intra-ethnic war, he fumed: “This is what I don’t want to hear! The other contender when he was murdered, at least there was still tension three days four days later he was buried with heavy security. Why can’t do same? So I don’t understand why they think ours is too much we cannot do it”

The rival family has responded describing the move as threat to security saying they will continue to fiercely resist such attempt.

According to its spokesman Osman Kiika said the late Nakpa Na could not be buried in Bimbila because he wasn’t a king and that he must be buried in Nakpayili where he died as chief.

He said government must act immediately to stop the “lawlessness” because they were ready to protract the heritage of the Bimbila Traditional Council.

“They should continue; if it is killing that is the ruling, then they should continue to kill but I know that we’ll get to the wall; trust me we can be sure about that and that is when Ghanaians will know what the people of Andani are capable of doing. We will not talk; they should continue. Government must do something”

Earlier Monday the regional minister Hon Salifu Saeed aborted a planned visit to the Bimbila regent after tensions rose in the township over a rumor that the late Nakpa Na’ family was in preparation towards the burial of the late chief of Nakpayili.

Hon Salifu Saeed was District Chief Executive for the Nanumba North District in 2005 when the dispute was first heard at the Naayiri, overlord of Mamprugu palace.

He is reported to have courted the anger of ther late Naa Dassana family when he restrained them from jubilation when the Nayiri ruled in their favour. The new development has stymied the already difficult efforts to ensure a peaceful region.

A fortnight ago more than 10 people were killed and many uprooted in a renewed violence allegedly triggered by the regent’s decision to enskin a sub chief.