Statement From Kamapakuya-Na

STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE YOUTH OF THE ANDANI ROYAL FAMILY ON RUMOURS REGARDING THE FUNERAL RITES FOR THE FORMER YA NA MAHAMADU ABDULAI

Before the end of March 2008, there were rumours that the Otumfuo Mediation Committee was in the process of getting the government to implement its proposal to have the funeral rites for the Former-Ya Na Mahamadu Abdulai observed at the Gbewa Palace These rumours have heightened since the first week of April 2008 in the wake of the receipt of invitation letters by the Andani and Abudu families to a meeting at the Manhyia Palace on the 18th of April 2008.

The rumours have it that a detachment of the Ghana Army and Police would throw a security cordon around the Gbewa Palace in preparation for orders to forcibly eject Kampakuya-Na Abdulai Yakubu and other occupants of the Palace. The rumours continue, that the army and police would be ordered to eject him at whatever cost.

These rumours do not seem reasonable and we do not want to believe them.

However we are inclined to understand the rumours against the grim realities of the sequence of events that led to the gruesome murder of the Overlord of Dagbon, Na Yakubu II, his elders and other members of our family. It has been the belief of members of our family that the eventual murder of Na Yakubu II was the end-product of promises and support which the Abudu family, the perpetrators of that crime, got from government. Some of us were in doubt because we could not believe that for whatever considerations, the government of the day could support any act by any group to harm Na Yakubu II let alone murder him so that another family could have access to the Gbewa Palace to perform a funeral.

The rumours that are currently circulating coupled with certain events on the ground seem to confirm the believe among members of our family that the government is prepared to defy all the odds to reward the Abudu family for murdering Na Yakubu II, his elders and other members of our family.

We will like to state with emphasis that under no circumstance would Kampakuya-Na leave the Gbewa Palace to pave way for the uncustomary and illegal occupation by members of the Abudu family. Since it appears that the rumours seem to indicate that the powers that be want to eliminate the Regent of Dagbon, Kampakuya Na Abdulai Yakubu at all cost

We find it absolutely unbelievable that the Otumfuo Mediation Committee and government should contemplate such a venture inspite of the obvious dangers to lives and property associated with it.

Page 1 of 3

Our minds are agitated by the bizarre nature of the issues carried in the rumours for which reason we pose the following questions:- 1) What necessitated the formation of the Otumfuo Medaition Committee? Was it the murder of Na Yakubu II or the issue of the funeral rites for the late Former-Ya Na Mahamadu? 2) Are we to believe that the government of the day actually aided the Abudu family to murder Na Yakubu II to pave way for the funeral of Former-Ya Na Mahamadu Abdulai in the Gbewa Palace? 3) Are we now to understand that the government of President J.A. Kufuor values the funeral rites for the deceased Ex-Ya Na to the life of Na Yakubu II whose selection and enskinment were done in conformity with Dagbon customs and supported by the laws of Ghana? If President J.A. Kufuor has chosen to place the funeral of the Former-Ya Na Mahamadu above the life of Ya-Na Yakubu II, what accounts for that choice?. 4) Are we now to believe that the promises that His Excellency President J.A. Kufuor made to the effect that he would look for and bring to justice the murderers of Na Yakubu II were insincere but intended to mislead Ghanaians and the world at large? 5) Have the Mediation Committee and the government now found it too difficult to be neutral in this matter? 6) Are the government and the Mediation Committee now ready to substitute their wishes for the Supreme Court judgment which declared the purported selection and enskinment of Mahamadu Abdulai as Ya-Na null and void. 7) Why is the President not showing much interest in the arrest of those who murdered Na Yakubu II but rather pushing too hard for the funeral of the Former Ya Na at the Gbewa Palace? 8) What has become of the report that came out of the police investigation into the murders? What is the President doing with the Wuako Commission report and recommendations?. 9) Why is President J.A. Kufuor and his government so interested in the funeral rites of the Former Ya Na Mahamadu Abdulai who died naturally but shows no interest in the death of Na Yakubu II which occurred through crime?.

Answers to these questions are very critical in the Dagbon crisis.

We are inclined to believe that the government and the Abudu family have a common agenda i.e ensuring the elimination of Na Yakubu II and allowing the Abudu family to take the Kingship of Dagbon. Has confirmation in the unfolding events.

We wish to emphasise that Dagbon would be pushed into flames if the rumours turn out to be true. Unless what is being contemplated by the Mediation Committee and government are premeditated, there is the need to take a second look at such a venture, otherwise the government should take full responsibility for the consequences that would follow their action. Page 2 of 3 It is important that all stakeholders in this matter eschew political expediency which would be rather too expensive to exercise in the management of the Dagbon issue. We entreat all who have interest in the future of Dagbon, to persuade government to exercise good judgment at this crucial stage. Any inclination towards rewarding crime at this stage would do more harm than good to Dagbon.

The youth of the Andani Royal family as well as good people of Dagbon wish to assure the good people of Ghana and the international community that we would resist with all our might any attempt by the powers that be to carry out the uncustomary act of enforcing the funeral rites of Former Ya Na Mahamadu Abduali’s funeral at the Gbewa Palace. We are prepared to lay down our lives as Ya Na Yakubu II did to preserve the sanctity of our customs.

The truth would always triumph over falsehood.

Alhaji Abdulai Silinboma (Chairman)

Alhassan Osman Noble (Secretary)

Various Media Houses

Views expressed by the author(s) do not necessarily reflect those of GhanaHomePage.