RE: Has the Yagbonwura “Sold” His Kingdom

To The President?

I read with surprise and sadness a feature that appeared on the ever popular Ghanaweb on Wednesday 11th June, 2013 under the caption "Has the Yagbonwura “Sold” His Kingdom To The President?"written by a Joseph Ziem.

It is my style not to respond to features on Ghanaweb but the many allegations and fallacies concocted by the said Joseph Ziem should not pass without any reaction especially since they are targeted at no mean persons than the President of the Republic of Ghana John Dramani Mahama and the King and Overlord of all Gonjas, Yagbonwura Tuntumba Boresa I.

The invectives and allegations of Joseph Ziem hurled at these prominent personalities in a reckless abandon, without decorum and deference to them demands a reaction.

In fact the single-most important impression one gets out of the feature is either sheer hatred for Gonjas by a non-Gonja or mercenary work. It should not take a non-Gonja calling to make unnecessary comments on the Buipe issue which is now history.

I am convinced the agenda of Joseph Ziem who is a practicing journalist with seven years experience, an overall 'Best Investigative Journalist' for 2010 at the Northern Ghana Journalists Awards in Tamale" and who currently reports for The Daily Dispatch Newspaper, and www.northernghana.com is to break the absolute peace and unity in Gonjaland.

Joseph Ziem must be told that the people of Gonjaland would take on anyone who attempts to down play the integrity and image of the Yagbonwura and the Gonja Traditional Council as whole because unlike where he comes, we Gonjas revere our Chiefs and Traditional institutions.

Against this backdrop, I would like to address some pertinent issues Joseph Ziem raised.

First of all he admitted that it is good and refreshing to know that the Buipe chieftaincy dispute has been resolved finally. But I find it difficult to understand him when he said the President purportedly influenced the Yagbonwura with a whooping amount of GH¢300,000.00 in order for him to rescind a previous decision he [the King] and his Traditional Council took in 2010 to unanimously dis-enskin the then Buipewura Mahama Abdulai Jinapor II for gross misconduct.

I think these are serious allegations that should not be taken lightly. Would Joseph Ziem be able to substantiate these wild allegations if he is sent to court to prove them. For Joseph Ziem to also say it is alleged that the President through an intermediary offered each member of the committee Gh¢100,000.00 and a four-wheel drive after the Damongowura had left midway during the meeting to seek medical attention in Sunyan is so serious. I wonder if he thought of the repercussions of his allegations.

Joseph Ziem was at his hypocritical best when he singled out one particular Chief for praise claiming the said Chief rejected the cash and a car because according to him the Chief said he took a sacred oath before becoming chief. This is simply aimed at knocking the heads of our Chiefs.

Listen to Joseph Ziem: "At the moment, the longstanding Buipe chieftaincy conflict has been resolved but no one knows how long it will last, considering the fact that most Gonjas feel that they have been disgraced and disappointed by their King and their collective destiny as descendants of the great Ndewura Jakpa [Founder of the Gonja Kingdom] purportedly sold to the politician who is now the Kingmaker".

One wonders what his real motive could be. I sincerely think Joseph Ziem wishes Gonjaland is chaotic and full of confusion. God is great and he will never succeed in dividing the ranks of the people of Gonjaland. All we need in Gonjaland is peace and that is exactly what we are enjoying now and we thank God for that.

I can assure Joseph Ziem the Buipewura Abdulai Jinapor would operate an all inclusive administration to ensure total reconciliation and unity among his subjects and all Sub- Chiefs under the Buipe traditional area will be answerable to Buipewura Abdulai Jinapor.

Also the Yagbonwura is the supreme figure and the Overlord of all Gonjas. But he takes decisions in consultation with his Council of Chiefs and other opinion leaders. It is therefore extremely preposterous and disappointing for a non-Gonja to claim the Yagbonwura has sold his Kingdom for cash. The Gonja Kingdom is protected and preserved by customs and Traditions upheld by our forefathers and the current generation.

From his (Joseph Ziem) own words, "in 2011, an Accra High Court ruled in his (Mahama Abdulai Jinapor II) favour and the Gonja Traditional Council was ordered to reinstate him to his position as substantive Buipewura".

If this is true, which of course it is, then what is the justification that Yagbonwura’s latest judgement for reinstating Mahama Abdulai Jinapor II ,which is in line with the court’s decision, was influenced by the purported cash and cars inducement from the President? For me, Yagbonwura and the Gonja Traditional Council only saw the need to implement the Court order to keep the tranquility on our land. So it does not make sense at all for anybody to suggest or think that cash and cars from President Mahama played an important role in Buipewura Mahama Abdulai Jinapor II’s reinstatement. Finally I urge Joseph Ziem to withdraw his allegations or apologise to the President John Mahama and the Yagbonwura or else he will hear from us.

By Mahama Haruna

The writer is the PRO of the National Gonjaland Youth Association.