Yakubu Seidu is Wa-Na -National House of Chiefs

The Judicial Committee of the National House of Chiefs on Monday upheld the ruling of the Upper West Regional House of Chiefs that Mr Yakubu Seidu is the Wa-Na-elect.

The Upper West Regional House of Chiefs on June 27, 2000, ruled that Yakubu Seidu from the Nakpaha Gate of Guli, one of the four gates to the Wa Skin was properly nominated and elected as the Wa-Na.

The Judicial Committee chaired by Nana Aboagye Agyei 11, Ejisuhene, awarded cost of five million cedis against the appellant, Mr B. K. Adama, a former Minister of State and a Kingmaker, who appealed to the National House of Chiefs against the ruling of the Regional House of Chiefs.

Other members of the Judicial Committee of the National House of Chiefs, who heard the appeal included Nana Atta Amanafo Poku 11, Omanhene of Breman Asiam, Naa Alhaji Iddrisu Abu 11, Kumbun-Na, Nene Tetteh Djan 111, Prampram Mantse and Nana Kwadwo Nyarko 111, Omanhene of Prang.

Following the death of Wa-Na Momori, who hailed from the Jonyuohi Gate on January 16, 1998, there had been conflict over the enskinnment of the Wa-Na.

Since then the case had travelled from the Upper West Regional House of Chiefs through the National House of Chiefs to the Supreme Court, which ordered that the parties return and follow tradition in the nomination and election of a Wa-Na.

It was established at the Supreme Court that instead of the three gates to the Wa skin, there was a fourth gate and that a system of rotation among the four gates had been established in 1951 by the then Wa-Na Mumuni Koray 11.

Yakubu Seidu, who contested the skin with the Kutua Na Amidu Yakubu, claimed he was the automatic choice of the Nakpala Gate whose turn it was to provide the Wa-Na. The other Gates are Jonyuohi from Sing, Naageri from Perisi and Yigiihi from Busa.

Mr Felix Naa Sabie, a Wa-Na lawyer represented the Wa-Na-elect while Messrs Amadu Mumuni an Accra-based lawyer and Michael Kabumoh, a Wa-based lawyer represented Mr B. K. Adama.