Today marks the commencement of the roadmap to a lasting peace in Dagbon – a piece of Ghana whose peace all must assist in restoring. The national security implication of a restive Dagbon cannot be overlooked.
That is why we have repeatedly visited the subject ever since the President riveted his attention on it and the recommendation of the eminent persons which followed it. The greatest leap, the Executive Order, an action unsurpassed since successive governments attempted the peace restoration process albeit to no avail; it represents the muscle flexing segment of the state intervention. For those who doubted the resolve of the President to walk his talk, that is it.
Today’s traditional process represents the critical first step which should be bereft of a faux pas no matter how minute.
There must be finality to all conflicts and the time for the Dagbon stalemate or even imbroglio to end is now.
As the funeral of Yaa Naa Mahamadu starts today to be followed by Yaa Naa Yakubu Andani’s, it is our prayer that all would join hands, play their parts sincerely so the roadmap would be devoid of eventualities.
Healing a social sore of this magnitude involves a lot of compromises on the part of all players who we entreat to appreciate the importance of peace and get on with the contents of the roadmap.
When we let bygones be bygones as we pray should be the case in Dagbon, peace would prevail once more. The stereotyping of the people of Dagbon would have no basis when we surmount the hurdle ahead of us as citizens of one country with a common destiny.
A lot of efforts went into the journey we are starting today so failure should not be an option. Yesterday, important chiefs and regents relevant to the traditional process moved to Yendi: a welcome development.
At this eleventh hour, those who have profited from the bad old days would muster their last courage to throw spanners into the works but unfortunately they are few and those against evil outnumber them.
We have observed the eagle-eye mission of the security agents and implore them not to rest on their guards or even be complacent. The task before them is not easy because all manner of temptations would come their way but as officers, men and women who swore to defend the country by among others, maintaining law and order, they should live to the billing of their oath.
The whole country is watching the unfolding display of Dagbon culture steeped in 600 years of history. The choreography, the rituals et al should be binding drills – not ones to create wedge among the good people of Dagbon. We wish all the players Godspeed.