The Widows' Snub: Why Did the Late Ya Na's Wives Say No?

Widows of the late Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II, are reported to have rejected a government package for their upkeep. This new development raises a number of questions, though according to the report, the reason they gave was that it is taboo in Dagbon culture for an "outsider" to feed widows of a king.

Mrs Gladys Asmah, Minister of Women and Children Affairs, who made the donation on behalf of the government, is said to have been very disappointed by the widows' decision not to accept the donation. It was made up of 50 million cedis, food items, two baskets smoked fish, 50 plastic buckets and 50 pieces of wax prints.

The rest were 50 bags rice, 20 bags of maize, 5 bags of sugar, 10 cartons of Key soap, five cartons of Lux toilet soap, 10 cartons of cooking oil and 20 pieces of students' mattresses.

The widows told the Minister that, "it is only the family head that is responsible for the upkeep of the widows of the king. We want to know who killed our husband. For three months now we have not known the one who killed our husband."

Mrs. Asmah told them that the government is concerned about the crisis in Dagbon. "We are doing everything possible to bring the culprits to book."

She said there was no reason for the widows to have refused the package since they had earlier received a donation of 2 million cedis, four bags of rice and four bags of maize from the acting Northern Region Minister, Mr Ernest Debrah.

She advised them not to distance themselves from the government. "The government intends to give a fitting funeral to the late Ya-Na", she told them. Mrs Asmah gave the widows a day to reflect on their decision though she did not say what would happen to the package if the widows still refused to accept it.

With this clear snub, the government has been put once more on the defensive because the Andanis have already received donations from other sources.

In April, the NDC presented ?5 million cedis and other items to the family of the late king. It was also reported that the 31st December Women's Movement had made presentations, which were not rejected.

In the Monday April 15 edition of ADM, it was reported that Sheikh S.M. Sibidow had asked the Andani family to reject the NDC money, though his grounds were somewhat different. In a press statement the Sheikh said, "In spite of what Andani Family is going through, I urge the real family members to reject the donation of ?5 million from the NDC. That money is stained with the blood of Na Yakubu and other martyrs... the donation is no more than blood money." The statement said, "I can assure Ghanaians that the last thing Na Yakubu would accept or approve was a donation from NDC of Huudu/Ibrahim Adam/JJ."

In spite of this impassioned plea from this well-known Andani Gate citizen of Dagbon, there was no report that the NDC donation had been rejected.

The rejection of the government donation looked at from this angle therefore reveals a clear political manipulation.

Already Dr. Yahuza Gomda's claim that the Andani Gate has been praying for the current administration to go the way of the Second Republic government of Dr. Busia and Dr. Wayo Seini's widely publicised "resignation" from the NPP and reasons adduced, have given clear indications that the Yendi crisis has been politicised.

The acceptance of the NDC donation and rejection of the government's donation only goes to confirm the assertion above and complicates further the government's attempts to help broker a lasting solution in Dagbon.