Opinions of Wednesday, 5 July 2023

Columnist: Jagir Udinanu Niwubi

A call for the dismissal of defence minister by Dagbon Youth Association borne out of ethnic hatred!

Dominic Nitiful, Ghana's Defence Minister Dominic Nitiful, Ghana's Defence Minister

The call by a group identifying itself as Dagbon Youth Association (DAYA) for the dismissal of the defence minister, Dominic Nitiwul is borne out of hatred for his Konkomba ethnic group.

In the press conference organized in Aliu Mahama Sports stadium in Tamale on Monday July 3,2023, the organizers alleged that the Defence minister is behind the rising tension among Dagombas and Konkombas in the Northern Region and made unrelated references to similar tensions in the 1990s leading to the 1994 conflict, the questions begging for answers are that, in 1994, was Dominic Nitiwul the defense minister?

In 2006, there arose another tension among the two ethnic groups leading to meetings being held in Bimbilla to dispel those rumours was Dominic Nitiwul a Defense minister then?

Ever since the appointment of Dominic Nitiwul into the position of Defence Minister, some Dagomba youth continue to have problems over that appointment and have on several occasions demanded his removal.

In 2021,it took the intervention of the Defence Minister to calm nerves as a results of tension built by the works of Facebook imposter with account Basiru Bejejugu and John Jagir who continue to attack members of the two ethnic groups, the defense minister led a delegation to Ya Naa to dispel those rumours yet Dagombas still don't see anything good in him?

Has the minister ever shirk his responsibilities or is he underperforming that you call for his dismissal?

Sometimes the people who think they know end up being ignorant on how things work. The defence minister's work is different from the interior minister but many rather turn to blame the defence minister for internal security matters in Ghana instead of the interior minister.

If Dagomba youth mean good and want peace, why didn't they follow suit of Konkomba youth who called for calm but rather fuelling the youth by organising a press conference to demand the dismissal of Konkomba leader who has no hand in the so called tensions?

All the calls and social media attacks are just because the defence minister is a Konkomba by ethnicity and nothing else. It is high time Dagomba stop the hatred for Konkombas and control their youth on social media contributing to the rising tensions. All the tensions in the system are caused by Dagomba Youth mostly in and around Yendi.

We those who know the defense minister, know what he stands for and always preach peace among konkombas and their neighbours. The relative peace we enjoy today in the north is the work of the Defence Minister.

Also, on the call for arrest of Ubor Magal on the statements made on Maranatha TV is his personal opinion and he has the right to his freedom of expressing and speech enshrined in the article 21 (1) SS (a) and (b) of the 1992 constitution of Ghana.

No one can therefore arrest him for his speech made. The call for his immediate arrest is therefore against his right to freedom of speech because the said Ubor talked about History and never incited anyone to fight.

On a serious note, some of the Dagomba Youth are rather war mongers as the hate for Konkombas is being posted on social media by personalities such as Basiru Bejejuyu, Amingo Gh, some presenters of Dasuma FM in Yendi and so many of the youth without any caution from their elders and group association leaders.

Konkombas are peace loving people and always resort to peaceful settlements of matters, Konkombas are unlike Dagomba youth who don't respect their leaders. Ever since these tensions resurfaced, the Konkomba Youth Association had issued series of press statements calling for calm but Dagomba youth refused to follow suit, rather they continue to urge their youth to attack and make derogatory comments about Konkombas.

Their latest press conference portrays their diabolic agenda against Konkomba and exposing them to what they do behind the scenes. From their posture, one can conclude that, they are those behind the tension just because they want to do that and demand for the dismissal of the only Konkomba Cabinet minister in Nana Addo government.

In fact their call is based on hatred for konkombas and nothing else. It can still be recalled that during Cheriponi Conflict, some Dagomba youth backed the chokosi youth and called for dismissal of the same defense minister if not for hatred, why is it that when Mamprusis and Kusasis, Mamprusis and Gonja were engaged in a gun battle, the youth did not call for the dismissal of the vice president who is a Mamprusi?

The same minister you are against today provided security for the performance of the late Ya Naa funersl in Yendi and the enskinment of the current Ya Naa.

Why is it that some Dagombas don't just want to see any Konkomba rise in position? but I will leave you with a biblical story of Joseph who was hated but he still rose higher also no amount of hatred for Israelites by Egyptians in the Biblical history preventing them from gaining independence from King Pharaoh.