President Akufo-Addo welcoming the Andani Elders to the Jubilee House
The family of the late overlord of Dagbon Ya Na Yakubu Andani has pledged to adhere to the roadmap instituted by government to bring lasting peace to the area.
The funeral of Naa Yakubu Andani would begin on Friday, January 4, 2019, and the family says it’s ready to abide by all the terms of engagement.
The late chief was killed in clashes between the two ruling gates, Andani and Abudu at the Gbewaa Palace in March 2002.
Several efforts to resolve the dispute hit a snag until recently when the two royal gates both resolved to bury their differences to bring peace to the area following a report submitted by the committee of eminent chiefs led by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
The Andanis decided to abandon the roadmap, which broke the hearts of many people, including President Akufo-Addo who thought peace had finally come to Dagbon.
Pledge
But during a meeting with President Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House prior to Christmas, the Andanis reiterated their commitment to peace.
Head of the Andani Royal Family, Yo Na Abukari VI, the Kampakuya-Naa Abdulai Andani, in a letter to the President and signed by the Chairman of the Funeral Planning Committee and Vo-Na, Mahamudu Bawa, expressed their readiness to commence the funeral of the late Ya Na Yakubu Andani II on Friday, 4th January to Thursday, 17th January 2019.
Chairman of the Funeral Planning Committee and Vo-Na, Mahamudu Bawa, said “in light of the fact that the final funeral rites of the late Ya-Na Mahamudu had commenced, the Andani Royal Family is ready and willing to commence the funeral rites of Ya-Na Yakubu II on 4th January, 2019 and complete them on 18th January 2019.”
The delegation appealed to the President to use his authority to help unravel the mystery surrounding the murder of the Ya-NaYakubu II.
Nana’s Pledge
President Akufo-Addo described the decision of the Andani Royal Family to adhere to the roadmap as a Christmas present to the whole of the country.
He reiterated government’s commitment to investigate circumstances surrounding the death of the late Ya-Na Yakubu Andani.
The President said he would attend the ceremony that would eventually lead to the enskinment of a new Ya-Na for the Dagbon Traditional Area.
“You can have that assurance that these processes at finding closure in the course of the next two weeks do not therefore mean that everything else has been dropped. It cannot be, so long as there has not been closure on that, it cannot be,” the President said.
“My hope is that the next time I come to Yendi I will come and greet the new Ya-Na after the funerals. That has been my hope,” the President added.
“I have said before that I am not Andani nor Abudu, but I have decided that I am an Abudani. That is what I am an Abudani,” he added.
By Charles Takyi-Black, Presidential Correspondent