The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has applauded the people of Dagbon for the enskinment of a new Ya Na after nearly two decades of chieftaincy strife that left the kingdom without a substantive Overlord.

“The party also commends, more importantly, the good people of Dagbon for this indelible achievement,”, a statement issued by the General Secretary of the NPP, Mr John Boadu, said, shortly after the coronation of Ya Na Abubakari Mahama II on Friday, 25 January 2019.

Even though the peace map, funerals for the two late Ya Nas and the installation of the new Ya Na occurred under the current government, the NPP commended the efforts of past presidents and thanked the Committee of Eminent Chiefs led by Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and all other individuals who played various roles that led to the restoration of peace to the troubled area.

“The NPP, accordingly, commends His Excellency President Akufo-Addo, all past presidents, the Committee of Eminent Chiefs comprising the Asantehene, His Royal Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Overlord of Gonjaland, Yagbonwura Tuntumba Bore Essa Sulemana Jakpa and the Overlord of Mamprugu, Nayiri Nabohagu Mahami Sheriga. We applaud the efforts of both the family heads of the Abudu and Andani gates in achieving this historic feat”.

Background

Following the killing of the late Ya Na Yakubu Andani II in 2002, the John Agyekum Kufuor government set up the Committee of Eminent Chiefs to help find a solution to the crisis.

TheCommittee, in November 2018, presented a final peace roadmap to President Nana Akufo-Addo, which led to the successful performance of the funerals of the two late Ya Nas, which, in turn, paved the way for the installation of a new Overlord.



Below is the full statement issued by the NPP.

Press Release

NPP HAILS DAGBON AND CONGRATULATES ABUBAKARI MAHAMA ANDANI ON HIS INVESTITURE AS NEW YAA NAA

The NPP gladly joins the rest of the world to commend the people of Dagbon particularly the Abudu and Andani Royal families for their respective commitments towards bringing to an end decades of unrest and division in Dabgon culminating in today’s historic coronation of a new Yaa Naa. The party equally congratulates the immediate past Yoo-Naa, Abubakari Mahama, on his coronation as the 42nd Overload of Dagbon.

The Dagbon State is undoubtedly one of the richest and most ancient traditional kingdoms in the nation’s history dating back to the 13th century. Dagbon had remained largely peaceful contributing significantly to the nation’s cultural heritage until it was plagued with decades of chieftaincy crisis occasioned mainly by intense disagreements between its two royal gates in relation to succession to the Yaa Naa kinship and associated customary practices.

The crisis, regrettably, got to a crescendo in 2002 when the then King of Dagbon, Ya Na Yakubu Andani II, together with others, were assassinated leading to heightened tension in the kingdom particularly in the traditional capital, Yendi. Dagbon had since been living without a substantive Yaa Naa but under a regent who was installed in 2006 to act as the kingdom’s sovereign until a new ruler is chosen to occupy the revered Lion Skin.

It is worthy of note that successive governments, from the Nkrumah administration to the Fourth Republic, had tried resolving the Dagbon crisis but achieved very little as the division appeared almost intractable. Obviously, the most historic intervention that is worth mentioning is the setting up of the Committee of Eminent Chiefs by President Kufuor to help resolve the conflict. Succeeding presidents continued to cooperate with the eminent chiefs headed by Otumfuo.

However, as Prof Gyampo put it, President Akufo-Addo’s intense commitment, audacious boldness and tactfulness for the purposes of ensuring lasting peace in Dagbon, stands him out among his predecessors in dealing with the Dagbon crisis. It is under his presidency and through his tactful instrumentality that the roadmap towards a lasting peace in Dagbon was fully implemented and climaxed with the selection and enskinment of a new Overload.

The NPP, accordingly, commends His Excellency President Akufo-Addo, all past Presidents, the Committee of Eminent Chiefs comprising the Asantehene, His Royal Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Overlord of Gonjaland, Yagbonwura Tuntumba Bore Essa Sulemana Jakpa and the Overlord of Mamprugu, Nayiri Nabohagu Mahami Sheriga. We applaud the efforts of both the family heads of the Abudu and Andani gates in achieving this historic feat.

The party also commends, more importantly, the good people of Dagbon for this indelible achievement. It is our fervent hope and expectation that the new Yaa Naa will continue to receive the full cooperation of all stakeholders to help restore Dagbon to its former glory and greatness for the love of God and country.

Long live Dagbon and the Lion Skin!!

Assalamualaik

...Signed...

JOHN BOADU

General Secretary, NPP