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Chieftaincy crisis is brewing in Damango in the Northern region following an alleged unilateral decision by Yagbonwura; Overlord of the Gonjaland Traditional Council to reject a candidate presented by the Kutukure (Kingmakers) for the position of Chief of Damango.
Ultimate news gathered that throne became vacant after the death of the Damangowura Tutumba Jakpa II on 28 January, 2016 and as the dictates of tradition, the Kutukure was tasked to appoint a candidate to occupy the throne.
The Kingmakers (Kutukure) upon intense deliberation among the two legitimate gates; the lemope and the Danghape settled on a candidate from the Danghape gate.
The Yagbonwura Sulemana Tutimba Boresa II reportedly rejected the Kingmakers’ candidate on Thursday, 21 April, 2016 in the full presence of members of the traditional council, representative of government and security agencies and opted for a senior brother of the candidate presented.
The situation incensed the head of the Kasawulewura gate; the family empowered to appoint who ascend the throne of Damagowura, Alhaji Abass Dangba who has vowed to resist attempts by the Overlord to rewrite the tradition of the Damango Traditional Council.
Mantowura Alhaji Abass told Ultimate news that it was not the business of the Yabgonwura Sulemana Tutumba Boresa II to decide who the Damangowura becomes anytime the throne was declared vacant and that was the exclusive prerogative of the Kutukure of which he heads.
“Traditionally, it is the kutukure gate in Damango who is supposed to nominate a candidate to occupy the vacancy of the Damango kingship when the Damangowura passes away. We have two gates; the lemope and the Danghape gates. The death happened at the Lemope gate so it is the turn of the Danghape to occupy the seat.
“The paramount chief never mentioned to us that he wanted to nominate a candidate: it is not even his right to say that. He can’t nominate a candidate, he said he knows that we are the right people to appoint so we came and sat and nominated a candidate and immediately we made the pronouncement, the linguist, it wasn’t even the Paramount Chief, stood in the middle and said the paramount chief doesn’t regard my candidate: the paramount chief is coming from a different traditional area and does not know much about our Damango traditional area”, the Kingmaker retorted.
He however served a notice not to rescind his decision and that he would go ahead to coronate his candidate despite the strong objection from the Overlord.
“I am firm and I’ll take any measure to prove to the whole world that I’m backed by the law of the Gonja Traditional Council, as a kingmaker I’m also backed by tradition that I’m the sole person to nominate kings for Damango and as far as I’m concern the new King would be known as Damangowura Kili Boresa I,’ he declared.
Alhaji Abass also accused the Yabgonwura traditional Linguist Alhaji Afuli of giving bad counsel to the paramount chief and causing division and chieftaincy unrests among several traditional areas in the Gonja kingdom and urged people to blame the Paramount Chief for any bloodshed in Damango.
“It is Afuli who called himself, the so called Chief linguist, and he is not even the chief linguist. He is messing up the whole Gonja now because he has made this Paramount Chief to create two chiefs all over which is wrong.
Government may hear of us and if comes to chaos the Paramount Chief must be blamed”.
However, responding to the Kingmaker’s claims, spokesperson for the Paramount Chief and Registrar of Gonja Traditional Council Mr. Kapori told Ultimate news’ Eliasu Tanko that the Yagbonwura did no wrong in meddling in the selection process.
According to him the Paramount Chief Intervention was based on litany of complains and petitions received against the candidate elect.
Mr. Kapori believes rather the Overlord’s interference is in the interest of peace and security of people of Damango.
The situation is creating palpable tension in the area as the two are yet to reach a tentative ceasefire agreement.
Some residents who spoke to Ultimate news criticise the paramount chief and said his action could spark a chieftaincy violence.
