John Mahama
Some indegenes of Gonja in the Savannah Region are fuming against former President John Dramani Mahama over his suppsosd continuous disregard for the customs and traditions of Gonjaland.
According to them, the continuous disrespect by the former president who hails from the area has eft much to be desired.
They said as a royal and son of Gonjaland, Mr. Mahama was nowhere to be found at the seventh Adua (funeral rites) for the late Overlord of Gonjaland, Yagbonwura Tuntumba Boresa I, at Damongo at the Jakpa Palace last Sunday.
As if that was not enough, the people said Mr. Mahama again failed to attend twelveth Day Adua on Thursday March 2, 2023 which Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia albeit his busy schedule was able to participate.
In a post shared on social media, Dr. Bawumia’s writes “I participated in the 12th Day Adua for the late Overlord of Gonjaland, Yagbonwura Tuntumba Boresa I, at Damongo on Thursday.
“The late Yagbonwura was an epitome of wisdom and grace, and ruled Gonjaland with consumate skill and ability. His fatherly advice will be sorely missed.
“May the Almighty Allah grant him Jannatul firdaus.”
At time of the prayers for the late Gonja King, Mr Mahama was busily campaigning in Ho, the Volta Regional capital where he was launching his political comeback.
Yagbonwura Sulemana Tuntunba Jakpa I died on Sunday 5th February 2023 at aged 90.
He was buried at the Royal Cemetery at Mankuma in the Bole District in accordance with Gonja traditions.
The 7th-day funeral rites which President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo participated paved way for other rituals that will lead to the installation of the next Yagbonwura.
Already some indegenes of the area have expressed their dissatisfaction with the manner the former president have neglected them.
In a statement issued by one Abubakari Ridwan Afeso, an indigene of Gonja expressed dissatisfaction as to why former President Mahama will desert his King and Kinsmen in terms of mourning and celebrating their King, since one of the best respect and honour they can do for not only the late King but the land is to see all their kinsmen who have or had the rare privilege to serve at the pinnacle of political governance in Ghana pay their last respect and associate with the people.
He described the action of Mr. Mahama as a bizarre, unfortunate, and most dishonorable to the king because the former President is a son of the Yagbonwura and of the land.
In the statement he said “The land (Gonja) has produced industrious and brainy fine Ladies and Gentlemen who with the kindest of history will deserve praise for their various contributions to nation-building from Academia, Politics, Chieftaincy, and Human Development endeavors.
“When it matters most in times like these; mourning and celebrating our King, one of the best respect and honor we can do for not only the late King but the land is to see all our kinsmen who have or had the rare privilege to serve at the pinnacle of political governance in Ghana pay their last respect and associate with the people, to say the least.
“It’s a bizarre, unfortunate, and most dishonorable to think that a former President who is a son of the Yagbonwura and of the land will desert his King and his kinsmen. The political party he represents is very good in flimsy excuses, wait for it, but let me dare put it to them that yesterday, the 7th-day adu’a is the body and soul of what we call the ‘The Funeral of the late King’. Why did John Mahama fail to show up? Where is the respect? Where is the commitment as a son of the land?”
The statement quizzed why former President Mahama continue to show gross disrespect to Gonjaland Chieftaincy and its entirety and refused to change a new face towards his kinsmen?
Mentioning some of the things they are suffering Gonjaland experience under him, the statement said Mr. Mahama pretended his people did not need an Administrative Region when he was President.
“How do you feel, now that a brother from far away land has granted that request you refused your people?
“What wrong did the people of Kegbanye do in showing utmost faith and trust in one of their own, only to rise to the top and renege on his responsibility towards them? We thought good lessons were learned the hard way after losing two consecutive elections to President Akufo-Addo, how wrong we can ever be that you are still who you were.”
According to the statement, some kinsmen of former President John Mahama in the Gonjaland are demanding to know why he failed to undertake any major intervention project of his own from start to finish throughout his stay as President but “you could only supervise the shoddy execution and completion of the Kufuor – Mills combined administrations Fulfulso-Damongo-Sawla AfDB Road project.
“It’s even more shameful when your party claims part of the money meant for that project was been used for the Daboya-Busunu Road which was never delivered and no pesewa was paid to the contractor who happens to be your blood brother.”
It continued that the former President has also forsaken Gonjaland in many ceremonial events, at best engage in deceitful delegation tactics to save your face.
“You continuously think Gonjaland can still be used and dumped by you for your selfish political interest. Our loyalty is now in exchange for development and deliverables.”
It expressed shock that President Akufo-Addo who does not hail from the area has rather showed love to them as he has visited the Yagbonwura and his kingdom more often and granted the ancestral wish of a Region to them.
“The last respect of H.E President Akufo-Addo to the Jakpa palace is about the 10th time He has visited. This is a record our own brother would struggle to half.
“We are not ready to stagnate our development nor are we ready to promote the deliberate disregard for us by our biological brother.
“It’s correct to say that it’s not all blood that is thicker than water.”
He described the former President as the “Same Old Wine, Same old Bottle, John Mahama continues to ignore his kinsmen in Gonjaland.”
By Vincent Kubi