Creation of New Regions: Whispers from the lion of Dagbon

Ndoo, have you ever heard a lion whisper? The creation of a new region in the Northern region has had the lion of Dagbon whisper from the corridors of the Dagbon Traditional council. This week, the Dagbon Traditional Council, our highest traditional decision making body in Dagbon spoke about the creation of new region(s) out of the existing Northern region.

Actually, as I earlier said, issues are like wild rabbits, they react to each other. The decision of the council is solely based on the stance our northern brothers have taken way back before this committee for creation of new regions was formed. A toad does not just run in the broad daylight for nothing.

When a supposed PRO of the Gonjaland Youth Association assumed the power of a traditional chieftain and issued a statement to the effect that no part of Gonjaland would be ceded to form part of any new region, I knew where that would lead us. In due time, this stance was stamped by a statement from the some traditional authorities of the great Gonjaland. This was then countered by a statement from chieftains in the Tatale traditional area that region be created for them too. Then came the great Mamprugu also advocating same.

In fact it is on record that the great overlord of Mamprugu and his entourage petitioned the committee responsible for creation of new regions to carve out Mamprugu and other lands to form the highly contested Eastern Corridor region. All these reactions didn't catch the hypocritical eyes of some party stalwarts.

Yet when Dagbon's voice came, then you hear all manner of individuals casting a lot of meaningless innuendos (that nonsense must stop in 2018). Now back to the case, our traditional council has always played a major role in the development of Dagbons as a whole. From the inception of the Great Dagbon kingdom to date, it has safeguarded the lands bestowed on us by Naa Sitobu with Allah's permission.

The DTC has declared wars to protect lives of all bilchininima (upright indigenes). Despite the fact that we are in modern times where tribal stance on matters are relegated to the background, despite the fact that Dagbons is at a standstill with regards to choosing an overlord, the DTC would not sit for any tribe, organization or individual in Ghana to override our collective interest as Dagombas.

If other individuals have rights to petition the committee to create a region for them, if other tribes have rights to petition that no part of their land be divided across two regions, then the press release of the DTC is long overdue.These days, we fight battles with knowledge and not guns. Our interest as Dagombas first before any party colors.

In a related development, did I hear an ex-minister of the Kuffuor regime rubbish the claims of the DTC? A minister who could not maintain security and watched helplessly for the Yamaha to be killed?

Suddenly he has found a voice to speak in the interest of Dagbon? Mr Minister, if you care to know, the division of northern region by a mere claim that it has a large land mass is a farce. Whoever told you that in Ghana here, per our local governance systems, development is synonymous to development?

Mind you there is no common developmental fund for the regional ministries. What is available is funding for districts called district common fund. That is basic for any person who can read. I wonder where this your argument is coming from.

In conclusion, Ndoo, our traditional council's stance is clear, if other tribes in the Northern region won't cede their lands for any new region unless their hometowns are made regional capitals, then it is overtly right we return the favor. When you are going to war, you do not need to hide your voodoo magic from your opponents anymore.

The creation of a new region has finally taken a tribal twist as I wrote about earlier. This is all because of some chiefs and individuals who covertly are backward, ethnocentric and moronic bigots. They never see their northern brothers as real brothers but enemies. When you see a pregnant goat in the market, know that there are pregnant issues at home.

The DTC would continuously return favour. This is not an NPP/NDC matter nor a case of sabotaging the good intentions of President Nana Addo. This is only a whisper from the lion, wait till it roars. Akubang bee ani bang??