THE DAGBON REGICIDE AND MATTERS ARISING
In March 2002 there were some uneasiness in the Dagbon Traditional area lasting some three days between March 25th and 27th. This uneasiness resulted in the death of the overlord of the Dagbon Traditional area Ya Na Yakubu Andani and some forty (40) other persons.
The incident has since heightened tension in Dagbon leading to the resignation of key government functionaries including the then Minister for the Interior who is also a Member of Parliament for Yendi, the area where the incident occurred which is also the place where the palace (Gbewa Palace) of Dagbon is situated and the then regional Minister for Northern Region Prince Imoro Andani. It is instructive to note that whilst the former is believed to be associated with one of the gates to the Dagbon differences, the latter is believed to be associated with the other gate. Others who resigned include Major Suleman and General Joshua Hamidu. I have brought this to light at his stage of our conversation so as to as much as possible help us draw the line to the colourisation of the dispute in political lights. This is important when we wish to reflect that the two Ministers are members of the same political tradition a la Prof. Wayo Seini known to be a royal of one of the gates and a politician who has had a taste of any of the two leading contemporary governance groupings in Ghana – NDC, NPP.
This having been said, the Dagbon differences is known to be an age-old issue of succession. There may be other attendant issues but that of succession has always been the highlight. Please refer to the Wuaku Commission Report.pdf. The Government of Ghana at the time considered the three-day incident as events that occurred within a state of war. Please refer to Gov't White Paper on Wuaku Commission.
Persuant to the recommendation of the Wuaku Commission that the Government of Ghana should take up steps to integrate the two gates to the Dagbon skin, the Government set-up a three (3) member Committee of Eminent Chiefs (CEC) comprising the Asantehene as chair and the Na Yiri (Paramount Chief of the Mamprusi Traditional Area) and Yagbonwura as members respectively, to facilitate a resolution of the dispute. The Yagbonwura, Paramount Chief of the Gonja Traditional Area has since passed away earlier this year (see Yagbonwura Bawa Doshie). It is not clear how the committee has since been conducting its business.
Again, it is worth mentioning that there has been some disquiet among some dagombas with the choice of mediators. The view is that differences between and among Dagombas has traditionally been settled by the Na Yiri, the Paramount Chief of the Mamprusi Traditional Area. Nontheless there has been general co-operation with the panel of mediators by the two gates, namely the Abudus and the Andanis, since the commencement of the mediation process in 2002.
As part of the process the Gbewa palace has been renovated, a Regent has been installed pending funeral(s) of the deceased among other monumental strides.
Understandably there has always been claims of involvement of politics or politicians in the regicide and its aftermath. And a section of the political population often use association with their party or lack of it as a trump card to justify or rationalize one deed or another.
In recent times there has been numerous anxieties in different parts of the country in relation to chieftaincy. In fact the Andani gate of the Dagbon royal family held a press conference to request of the current Government of Ghana to own up to its campaign in the last election of finding those who committed the regicide of the late Dagbon king and making them face justice. See Andani Press Conference on Prez Mills' pledge
Putting in motion the criminal justice system in itself is not out of place. Especially being aware that criminality has no expiry date. Also being aware that some persons were arrested, charged and arraigned before court is important except to say that they were discharged and acquitted for lack of evidence. The arrests followed shortly after the recommendation of the Wuaku Commission Report.pdf which was formed by Constitutional Instrument (C.I. 36)in April 2002 to investigate the disturbances in Dagbon.
So, having come this far, it is understandable when some stakeholders demand of government to fulfill its campaign promise of finding those who by law might have erred and making them face the law. It is also known that by law a criminal proceeding can be commenced at the same time a civil proceeding is commenced for an offence that has both a criminal aspect and a civil aspect.
But there has already been worrying signal with the recent arrests. Some of the arrested persons are being represented by a key member of the current Minority in Parliament The Party Politics of Dagbon Crisis and government apologists are already rationalizing and using not so pleasant language in condemning critics who suggest government is responding to the pressures of the Andani Press Conference on Prez Mills' pledge to find the killers.
While recognizing that the NPP lawyer representing the accussed persons may be doing his rightful job, it is also important to state it may actually fuel suspicion that the Abudus are indeed NPP and a lot of political capital ( or liability) could be made out of it. So it is no wonder that some civil society suggested that Ghana should Create a Platform to Engage Dagbon Politicians. This arrest if not well managed may be set-off on a bad start. The government apologists may want to reword their responses and the MP/Lwayer may want to reconsider his involvement.
In future it is important to give maening to the Constitutional Provision on National House of Chiefs, give the National House of Chiefs the necessary capacity to ajudicate on matters relating to chieftaincy from within its structures. Indeed the Chieftaincy Act of 1971 (Act 370) and its replacement, the Chieftaincy Act of 2008 (Act 759) are expected to be documents that help reduce governments participation in resolving chieftaincy matters. All governments have complexions that have always affected the pace, perception and procedure for resolving chieftaincy disputes. And as may be noted there are Debates about the place of Chieftaincy in contemporary times
Be it as it may what however is expected is the full integration of Dagbon with each being the brother's keeper as ever before. This may take a while and Ghanaians will be much pleased if nothing is done to unduly affect this transition. It is our expectation therefore that the recent arrest of some forty-one (41) persons in Yendi in relation to the 2002 incident does not unduly affect the true management and resolution of the differences in Dagbon.
Saeed Musah-Khaleepha
+233(0)208121764
http://samuleepha.blogspot.com/
http://i-mediate.blogspot.com/
Khaleepha Consult
Box AS 194, Asawasi, Kumasi
Box NB 889, NiiBoi Man, Accra
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