[ 2011-04-16 ]

Abudus Speak Out
The Abudu Royal Gate in the Dagbon chieftaincy
dispute has stated that the way forward to restore
lasting peace in Dagbon is to fully implement a
roadmap to peace.

It has therefore commended calls by the President
that the Committee of Eminent Chiefs should resume
sittings to facilitate the peace process.
According to the Abudu Royal family, their
decision to return to the negotiation table was
based on the supreme interest of the Dagbon
state.

The Abudus prayed that the committee would
appreciate the urgency of the matter and expedite
action on the funeral of the late Ya-Na Mahamadu
Abdulai in the Gbewaa palace.

Dr. Ziblim Iddi, spokesperson of the Abudu Royal
Gate, emphasized that there was no time for
further negotiations and debate on the matter.

To this end, he called on the Otumfuo committee to
expedite action as the Abudu Royal family was no
more interested in endless debates on the matter
with their brothers from the other divide.

He quoted the Supreme Court ruling of 1986, the
Memorandum of Agreement of 1987 and the 2006 road
map to peace, which supported the performance of
the funeral of Naa Mahamadu Abdulai at the Gbewaa
palace.

Dr. Ziblim Iddi, at a press conference at Nanton,
reiterated their interest to return to the
Committee of Eminent Chiefs sitting at the Manhyia
palace in Kumasi as a way of ensuring lasting
peace.

Welcoming government's decision to reopen
investigations into the murder of the Ya-Na, Dr.
Ziblim stated that the Abudus would continue to
cooperate with government in its efforts to find
the perpetrators of the crime.

He however called on government to expand its
investigations to cover all those who died in
Yendi during the conflict, especially the three
Abudus namely Mahama Teenbila, Dahmani Iddi and

Shahadu Sibdoo.
Explaining their decision to withdraw from the
committee meetings last year, the spokesperson
said after long periods of deliberations,
negotiations and diplomacy, the roadmap to peace
document was developed and endorsed by accredited
representatives.

He explained that the five benchmarks, namely the
burial of the overlord of Dagbon, installation of
the regent of the late Ya-Na Yakubu Andani,
performance of the funeral of the late Ya-Na
Mahamadu Abdulai, performance of the funeral of
the late Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II and finally the
selection and enskinment of a new Ya-Na, were part
of the document.

He stated that the committee succeeded in
implementing the first two benchmarks, which
benefited the Andani Royal Gate.

But regrettably however, for five good years, the
committee could not implement the third benchmark,
which would have led to the organisation of the
funeral of Naa Mahamadu Abdulai.

He lamented that a 14-page petition signed by 17
people from the Abudu Gate on the matter, in
January last year, and sent to the Committee of
Eminent Chiefs, did not receive acknowledgement.

Dr. Ziblim Iddi stated emphatically that the Abudu
Gate stood by their decision to withdraw from the
committee, saying, 'We wish to state here for the
avoidance of doubt that the statement released in
November last year regarding our withdrawal from
the peace process was released on behalf of the
entire Abudu family'.

He noted that Vice president Mahama had opined
that the statement the Abudus released did not get
the full endorsement of their chiefs, describing
the Veep's statement as not only laughable but
totally false and misleading.

He however urged the Abudus and Andanis to beware
of the over-politicization of the Dagbon
chieftaincy dispute and shun politicians who
continued to sow seeds of hatred among Dagombas
for their selfish and parochial political gains.

'We call on Dagombas, Abudus and Andanis to rise
up to the challenge of shaming politicians from
all political parties whose only agenda is to feed
into the emotions of our people to enhance their
electoral fortunes,' he noted.

Source - Daily Guide

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