Petition to Pres. Kufuor from the widows of Ya Na

WIDOWS OF YA NA YAKUBU ANDANI II

Post Office Box TL 1209 H/No CM 270 Tamale. 2nd December, 2007

CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEE OF EMINENT CHIEFS
OTUMFUO OSEI TUTU II
KING OF ASHANTI KINGDOM
MANHYIA PALACE KUMASI.

Dear Nana,

PETITION

As you are aware, on March 27th 2002, our husband, Lord and King of Dagbon, Ya Na Yakubu Andani II was murdered in cold blood after three days of attack on the Gbewaah palace. We as wives of the of the slain king were helpless during the attack and eventually had to flee with our children for our lives.

It is five and half years now since his horrendous act occurred. We have since kept mute over the incident because we believe that the President of the Republic of Ghana yourself and the other two kings have been in the forefront of trying to ensure justice for our husband and peace in Dagbon. Indeed, when the President inaugurated your committee to look into the traditional aspect of the conflict, we were assured that the committee would reach a reasonable conclusion based on Dagbon custom without fear or favour . But we are sorry to state that since the committee started its work, we have carefully observed what appears to be a careful but calculated attempt to satisfy the wishes of the Abudu family by reaching conclusions that are clearly contrary, to Dagbon custom, natural justice and equity but clearly satisfies the desire of the Abudus.

In your recent meeting with the two families, your committee proposed amongst other things the performance of the funeral of Mahamadu Abdulai at the Gbewaah Palace. Reading through the arguments put up in your so called proposed document, one can not help but conclude that your committee has clearly thrown the custom and tradition of Dagbon to the dogs.

As women and wives of the slain king, we do not want to join the bandwagon of arguments emanating from the proposed document . This is because we are not the custodians of the customs and traditions of Dagbon.

However, we do believe that we have the inalienable right of protesting any attempt to ?Twist? the customs and traditions of Dagbon to our detriment and to the advantage of a faction whose conduct suggests that they are part of the murderers of our dear husband.

Significantly we wish to state that your committee?s proposal that Mahamadu Abdulai?s funeral be performed in the Gbewaa palace ia an affront to the life of our late husband, who ensured that the tradition and custom of Dagbon remained sacrosanct during his reign, for which reason he was killed.

Nana, we remember with nostalgia the days preceding your selection and investiture as the King of the Ashanti kingdom when you used to communicate with our late husband and asked for his blessings toward the occasion. We also remember how you used to put up what we understood as a genuine love towards our husband and we remember vividly the emissaries he sent to ?help prepare the grounds and witness your investiture.?

It is therefore saddening that after only five and half years eternal journey, our husband?s friend?s attitude is being understood by many as ?out of sight out of mind friendship?. We do not want to believe that but equally can not contest that.

Your majesty, unlike other widows and their children who have the chance to inheritance, we regret to remind that we have lost that right. This is because our property together with that of our husband was looted by the murderers . We are therefore at a lost as to wyh your committee is only interested in the performance of the funeral of Mahamadu Abdulai to the detriments of our predicament. The tradition of Dagbon is sacrosanct and we demand of your committee not to act sacriligeously.

We are by this petition reminding your Excellency that we and the regent are prepared to sacrifice our lives to defend our custom.

Finally, as a former friend of the Ya Na, we personally appeal to your majesty to help identify the murderers of our beloved husband.

Indeed preference must not be given to the performance of the funeral of Mahamadu Abdulai to the detriment of finding the killers of the Ya Na, otherwise we will confirm our guess that our husband was killed to pave the way for the performance of Mahamadu?s funeral.

Thank you and may you ask your questions.

Signed by on behalf all widows of Ya Na Yakubu Andani II.

NAME SIGNATURE/THUMBPRINT

Mma Gbanzalin

Mma Kazeya

Mma Katini

Mma Galbang

Mma Tayili

Mma Sologu

Mma Litogu

Mma Tondun

Mma Dalabu

Mma Koyibga

Cc . President of Republic of Ghana . Speaker of Parliament of Republic of Ghana . Minority Leader . Majority Leader . Regional Minster N/R . BNI. Tamale . Garrison Commander Tamale. . Police Commander Tamale . Regent of Gugpegu . Andani Family . Abudu Family