Ya Na Abukari II
A Dagbang grouping, The Dagbang Forum, has expressed opprobrium over what its national executives describe as instances of occurrences which tend to undermine the authority of the Ya Na.
The forum cited instances of lawlessness being perpetrated by a section of the youth in the Karaga area of the Northern Region.
Video footages, the forum stated, showed the said youth engaging in acts of destruction—something which it cautioned could threaten the peace and pose danger to human lives and property.
It could, they added, undermine the authority of the Dagbon King; their spewing of harsh language and putting up a posture which did not inure to the authority of the King of Dagbang, Ya Na Abukari II.
A statement signed by Dr. Abdulai Sulemana Mobson, National President of Dagbang Forum, on Monday and copied to the media in Tamale, said there could be no justification for actions seeking to undermine the Ya Na’s authority as it is happening now in Karaga and in April last year in Nanton.
The statement said the Dagbang peace process was in a nascent state, requiring all sections of the society to dig deep within their hearts and souls to help in the attainment of lasting peace, adding, “We appeal for calm, surely there are less violent ways of showing displeasure when the Overlord of Dagbang has spoken on an issue.”
Ya Na Abukari II on Friday, September 11, 2020, enskined one Abdulai Nantogma Abdulai as the Chief of Karaga, a decision that has been challenged by the Ragent of Karaga.
It said the ground-breaking road map presented by the eminent kings and bravely implemented by the government, provided a framework for peace building, and enjoined on all stakeholders to have the overriding interest of the people of Dagbang at heart.
“There are many more funerals to be performed and many chieftaincy positions to be filled. We should be finding ways of supporting the Ya Na, the Dagbang Traditional Council (DTC) and the various institutions of governance to manage the increasingly complex situation created by nearly 40 years of mistrust, tension and chaos,” the statement said.
It said, “Decisions will be made and some people are bound to be unhappy with efforts being made to fill numerous vacant chieftainships.”
The statement added that barely two years after the hard work of the eminent kings to secure a lasting peace in Dagbang, government and the chiefs and people of Dagbang must show honesty, sincerity and inclusive dialogue among stakeholders to avoid what was being seen today and call for calm in Karaga and its environs.
“We should trust in his ability and wisdom to rule us in a manner that detoxifies the archaic Abudu/Andani divide and bring honour to all Dagbamba. More of our dialogues and discussions should be on development rather than conflict resolution,” it stated.