Re: What Do Dagombas Want?

My senior brother Mr. Haruna Atta; editor of the Accra Daily Mail appears to be worried about recent developments in Dagbon especially Yendi the traditional capital of Dagbon.

His newspaper came out with a stinking editorial on Tuesday 29th August 2006 titled “What Do Dagombas Want”. My big brother tried to take a neutral posture but the “Alukti” in him gave him up. As the adage “A leopard can not shed its skin” says. In trying to vent his anger and frustrations on innocent Dagbon citizens he was very economical with the truth. A Dagbani adage goes “Before you point out your finger at the monkey, the monkey has already seen you”. Every Ghanaian knows where big brother Haruna Atta is coming from. To me big bro Haruna Atta’s editorial should have been captioned “What Do the Dagombas in N.P.P. Want”?.

Every Ghanaian knows that the present state of anarchy and lawlessness is the child of the President Kufour led NPP administration. Since January 2001 when the political authority of the administration of this country was entrusted into the hands of President Kufour and his team; Dagbon has known no peace. The Kufour led administration has helped their minority Abudu sympathizers through covert and overt means to establish a parallel chiefdom in Dagbon President Kufour and his team has given official recognition to a so called “Bolin Lana “the thirty (30) year old son of former “Ya Na” Mahamadu Abdulai. This official recognition given to this so called “Bolin Lana” saw the birth of the culture of impunity, anarchy and lawlessness that we are witnessing in Dagbon especially Yendi.

Mr. Abdulai Mahammadu alias “Bolin Lana” son of former Na Mahamadu Abdulai told the Justice Wuoko Commission that President J.A. Kufouyr when he was then in opposition told him that the Abudus’ should do all they could be it spiritual or otherwise to assist him attain political power. After attaining political power he would also fulfill his part of the bargain by allowing them to perform the funeral of former Na Mahamadu Abdulai. Which they have long cherished and were being denied by the previous NDC government. The NDC Government did not deny them neither did the late Ya Na Yakubu the right to perform their funeral. What the late Ya Na(of blessed memory) told them was that Mmhamadu’s funeral should be in conformity with the time tested Dagbon custom ..The tragic event of March 27th 2002 was the first step to fulfilling the 2000 Election campaign promise. The above statement has not been denied by the government but has been confirmed by Miss Elizabeth Ohene then Minister in charge of Media Relation and big bro Haruna Atta in his editorial comment of Tuesday 29th August 2006. To quote big bro Haruna Atta’s editorial “The government has no hand in this latest shameful act of national destabilization” unquote. Big brother Haruna is telling all Ghanaians and the international community that the government of the NPP led by President John Agyekum Kufour has had hands in the previous tragic events which occurred in Dagbon since January 2001.Several acts of vandalism and criminal acts committed by the Abudus have gone unpunished under this present political administration led by His Excellency President John Agyekum Kufour. Their usual refrain has been “Ti gomnanti ndira “literally meaning “Our Government Is in Power”

Big brother Haruna Atta in his editorial comment states that two issues were on the table.

1. “The so-called Andanis do not want to vacate the Gbewa Palace for the funeral of Na Mahamadu to be performed.” 2. “For this reason the so-called Abudus think they must resort to self-help by forcibly ejecting their “enemies” the Andanis from the palace.”

It is here that big bro Haruna Atta portrays his hypocrisy and ignorance of Dagbon customs and traditions. It is no where mentioned in the Memorandum of Agreement the basis of the Road Map , which the two royal families appended their signatures that the Andani family to vacate the Gbewa Palace after the installation of Ya Na Yakubu’s (of blessed memory) regent to vacate the Palace for the Abudu family to occupy to perform Na Mahamadu’s funeral. If you have another “authentic” Memorandom of Agreement which we are not privy to please publish it in your newspaper for the good people of Ghana to read.

The marauding Abudu Youth who met their might last Friday 25th August 2006 were marching to take occupancy of the Old vandalized and desecrated Gbewa Palace which they had previously destroyed and renovated again. The Regent of Dagbon Kampakuaya Na Abdulai Andani does not reside in the Old Palace. The skirmishes last Friday August 25th was not an Abudu / Andani affair. It was the Powerful Abudu might VERSUS State Security. So bro Haruna Atta where does the Andani family come in to deserve the insults you have heaped on us?

Before the unfortunate events of Friday 25th August the Abudu youth had organized a press conference at the Yendi community center in which they chastised the government and expressed their dissatisfaction with the government for not complying with their campaign promise to allow them to perform late Mahamadu Abdulai’s funeral. They gave the government a one week ultimatum or else they would strike. One Majeed Bawa who prides himself as secretary to the Abudu Youth in Accra confirmed the threat. Refer to the Free Press Edition of Friday 25th August 2006. The government and its security agencies turned their backs on this threat to national security and they did carry out their threat. The signatories to the Press Release in Ynedi are all known to the Yendi DCE and the party hierarchy. . Majeed Bawa is known in Accra by the Dagomba NPP Community n Accra. All these nation wreckers are freemen. If those who issued theses threats were Andanis the prisons of Yendi and Tamale would have been full by now.

Big bro Haruna Atta did not deem it necessary to call for the arrest of theses saboteurs neither has neither civil society organizations such as The Ghana Bar Association, CDD, etc nor our religious leaders calling on the government to take a proactive decision before mayhem is fasted on the innocent people of Dagbon.

We of the Andani family know that “Ti ma kaduu “ (Our mother is not at home). We are therefore very disciplined, law abiding and have respect for our chiefs and elders. The Andani family is led by chiefs and elders who have wisdom and so the youth of the family do not show any disrespect to them.

To quote paragraph 5 of the Accra Daily Mail editorial

“To those who think they can flout the eminent person’s road map by sitting tight in the Gbewa Palace (if we can even call these structures a palace ) must also think again . They would eventually have to make way for the funeral of Na Mahamadu . Period”

I think the above statement is quite outrageous, unfortunate and an affront to Dagbon customs and traditions. This is wishful thinking by the likes of bro Haruna Atta...

I have the conviction that when the time comes for the Regent of Dagbon Kampakuya Na Abdulai Andani to be forcibly evicted from the Gbewa Palace to pave the way for the performance of Mahamadu Abdulai’s funeral , I hope Mr. Haruna Atta would be the man he is to lead the troops to carry out the eviction.

Big bro Haruna Atta in his editorial wonders whether the Gbewa Palace, the symbol of identity and authority for all true Dagombas deserves to be called a palace. Even though the palace is not what most concerned Dagombas would want it to be considering our status and might we would not describe it in such derogatory manner. It is only the weakling who would laugh at his father being insulted. A child does not point to his father’s house with the left finger. In the early nineties some well meaning and concerned Dagombas decided to pull resources both human and material to put up a modern palace befitting the status of all Dagombas. Levies were imposed on well to do Dagombas. Those who were eager to see this dream realized made some contributions. The architectural design is available for all who are concerned to see. This beautiful project was stalled by the very people in the NPP they refused to contribute giving very spurious excuses because they had a hidden agenda. Mr. Haruna Atta how much did you contribute if you know our Gbewa Palace does not deserve to be called as such?

Dagombas of good will should pardon bro Haruana Atta because we know his genesis. His lack of knowledge of Dagbon custom and traditions as well as his disrespect for us is therefore not a surprise. Any Dagomba who knows true Dagbon custom knows why Mahamadu Abdulai’s funeral can not and shall never be performed at the Gbewa Palace.

For the attention of big bro Haruna Atta Na Mahamadu Abdulai died out of office. He was removed from office because he was improperly enskinned as Ya Na. Refer to the Justice Ollenu Committee Report and the Supreme Court Ruling of 1986. Na Mahamadu’s funeral can never be performed as a Ya Na’s funeral.Since my big bro does not understand Dagbon custom and has not associated him with wise and honest Dagbon elders I advise to consult Alhaji Dauda Yahaya who is resident in Mamobi – Accra . He would learn a lot from this old man.

The argument that Na Mahamadu’s mortal remains are at the Royal Mausoleum (Katini) at the Gbewa Palace and so his funeral should and must be performed there is neither here nor there. All who were in Dagbon during the death of Mahamadu Abdulai knew the political pressure which was exerted on the late Ya Na Yakubu (of blessed memory) and the elders of Dagbon to permit his mortal remains to be buried there. This was done after over three days of intense negotiations . Finally wisdom, humaneness and the magnanimity portrayed by the late Na Yakubu II (of blessed memory) was brought to bear and he allowed his late cousin to be allowed to be laid to rest at the Royal Mausoleum but with conditions which the Abudu family representatives willingly agreed. The conditions which war given by Na Yakubu II (of blessed memory ) and the elders of Dagbon were documented. Fortunately those who appended their signatures on the document on behalf of the Abudu family are still alive. They are in the persons of Mion Lana A.A. Ziblim and Nanton Na Sulemana Alhassan. Mr. Haruna Atta, pleases contact them for their copies. The burial of late Mahamadu Abdulai at the Gbeawa Palace were them machinations of Alhaji Hudu Yahaya who used to his political influence in the then PNDC Government. In Hudus inordinate desire to satisfy the minority Abudu family he lacked the foresight and vision to see the problems he was creating. I am happy that Allah has spared Hudu Yahaya his life to reap the problem he gave birth to . That is why most Dagombas find it difficult to forgive him even though he has regretted his action.

Mr. Haruna Atta should for Allah’s sake leave the entire Andani family to continue mourning the massacre of our late King Ya Na Yakubu II (of blessed memory) and forty others under a government that has been proclaimed as perfect practitioners of good governance, rule of law and justice for all Ghanaians. The familiy has been denied justice so big bro Atta do not inflame our passions further by publications of such thrash materials you call editorial comment. Big bro Haruna Atta your anger and frustration should be directed at your fellow “Aluktis” Talk to the Major Sulemana Abukari (Regent of Tolon) , Alhaji Aminu Amadu, General Joshua Hamidu and your mentor and good friend His Excellency Alhaji Aliu Mahama. They are those who call the shots in the Abudu family . They the only people who can talk to their indisciplined youth to stop their barbaric and criminal activities. The above named persons are those whose actions and inactions has brought Dagbon and the entire Northern Ghana to its present despicable state. The by product of theses irresponsible and shameful actions is mass poverty ,ignorance, Kayayei and troko pushers’ Posterity would judge each one of them who used their political power and wealth to destroy Dagbon.

As I was concluding this article word filtered in that His Excellency the President had ordered the security agencies to apprehend the perpetrators of the recent bloody confrontation. Time would tell whether those people would ever be apprehended. To add this piece my appeal to His Excellency President John Agyekum Kufour is to come out boldly this time to implement the Government White Paper on the Justice Wuoko Commission Report irrespective of the backlash it may have on his party in Dagbon.

Brother Haruna Atta Come again.