Letter to Asantehene

SANGULI-NAA’S PALACE

Private Mail Bag The Post Office Sanguli - Saboba 18-02-2008

The Chairman

Otumfuo Mediation Committee

Manhyia Palace P.O. Box 285 Kumasi

Your Majesty,

Rumours Of A Plot To Assassinate The Customarily Installed Regent Of Dagbon (ANDANI YAKUBU ABUDULAI)

We the Elder Chiefs and Members of the maternal family of the Regent of Dagbon Traditional Area have to bring to your attention rumours of a plot, to assassinate our grandson, Andani Yakubu Abudulai, the Regent of Dagbon. The planned assassination is to enable the Dagbon Abudu Royal Family have access to the Gbewaa Palace, in Yendi, to perform the funeral of Ex-Ya-Na Mahamadu Abudulai.

We, as Konkombas, are neither Abudu nor Andani Royal Family Members. We are neighbours of Dagbon and are through intermarriages related to Dagombas and do possess some knowledge of Dagbon customary practices.

Rumours in Dagbon, today, have it that the safety and security of our grandson, the Regent of Dagbon is seriously threatened. This is reported by Ghana Palaver Vol.14 No.26 dated Friday, February 8 – Monday 11 2008.

Similar rumours, in 1969, were ignored by Dagombas and that resulted in the massacre of unarmed women and children in the Gbewaa Palace at Yendi. Ya-Naa Yakubu II, then as the Regent of Dagbon, was wounded and several members of his family, murdered.

Again, in March, 2002, rumours regarding the safety of the Ya-Naa Yakubu II were ignored and that resulted in his assassination and the murder of some loyal subjects of Dagbon. Now in 2008, there are fresh rumours, once again, that there are plans to assassinate the Regent of Dagbon and to murder members of his family. It is to enable Dagbon Abudu Royal Family have access to the Gbewaa Palace, in Yendi, to perform the funeral of Ex-Ya-Naa Mahamadu Abudulai. Truth about customs should be told and accepted.

We are told that the Abudu Royal Family, who are currently threatening mayhem in Dagbon, have on previous occasions benefited from mayhem:- Page 1 of 4

1. The deskinment of Ya-Naa Dahamani Kul-Karijie by force of arms even though deskinment is unknown in Dagbon. Ya-Naa Allassani of the Abudu Family became the Ya-Naa after the siege on the Gbewaa Palace.

2. The massacre in 1969 at the Gbewaa Palace, in Yendi, by joint Military and Police forces until the Ollenu Committee recommended an end to the Illegality, a decision which was withheld by the Supreme Court of Ghana in 1986.

At the time of the 1969 massacre, in Yendi, our son in-law (Andani Yakubu II) was then the Regent of Dagbon. We, as Konkombas, did not interfere in Dagbon affairs. Today, however, our direct grandson is the Regent of Dagbon and any threat to his life is of a great concern to us. If the current rumours are carried out, then we shall not remain unconcerned on this occasion.

Now, in the year 2008, the Abudu Royal Family, according to rumours, is threatening innocent lives, so as, to benefit once more from the March 2002 assassination of Ya-Naa Andani Yakubu II. Only the Abudu Gate, in the history of Dagbon Chiefship, can benefit from crimes they commission in Dagbon.

An emergency meeting was, therefore, convened on Saturday February 9, 2008 after the Palaver News Paper confirmed the rumours in Dagbon.

At the meeting, it was agreed that:- 1. Kampakuya-Naa is our nephew and our grandson whom we love solemnly and would protect him at all cost.

2. Dagombas should be told to give peace a chance in Northern Ghana and let us jointly fight poverty which is our number one enemy

3. If there is peace, our children can have access to good education and we shall all have free movement of goods and services.

If our grandson is however assassinated, we shall avenge his death. We shall, most certainly, seek the culprits through out the length and breathe of Dagbon to have them account for such a selfish deed. It is the responsibility of the State with its security apparatus to protect every citizen of the land. If however, the State fails in its responsibility, we will reserve the right to protect our son as we are entitled to do under the laws of the counrty. We will also not sit by for his birthright to be taken away from him.

DAGBON FINAL PEACE AGREEMENT: The Otumfuo Mediation Committee’s proposal that the Regent of Dagbon, who is our grandson, shall leave Yendi to settle in his mother’s village until a new Ya-Naa assigns him to a Chiefship is contrary to both Dagbon and Konkomba customary practices.

We beg to disagree with that Committee’s resolution that it is customary for a Regent of Dagbon to go to his maternal family before or after his father’s funeral rites are performed. It is wrong to suggest it in the first place and we shall therefore, not accept such treatment of the Dagbon Regent as suggested in the Final Peace Agreement.

Traditions and Customs of Chieftaincy are passed-down rules of Royal Families and they should remain untouched. Page 2 of 4

Both Dagombas and Konkombas inherit from their father’s and not from their mothers since time in memorial.

No Dagomba or Konkomba prince moves to his mother’s family after his father’s funeral has been performed.

The new proposed customary procedure shall bring confusion that might extend to other parts of Northern Ghana: The Konkombas shall not ‘’tolerate’’ the new custom to be imposed on us and consider such an imposition on the Regent as an imposition on us.

If the Kanpakuya-Naa is attacked, as it is rumoured, Konkombas will seek the culprits where ever they are and whoever they are.

That proposal, in the Final Peace Agreement, is contrary to our Konkomba Customary practices. Also we are informed that it is not within the Dagbon customary practices.

We shall, therefore not receive the Dagbon Regent as suggested. Our grandson’s legitimacy has never been in doubt.

THE ROADMAP TO PEACE IN DAGBON:

We note, with great concern, that in the Roadmap to Peace in Dagbon, some unknown restrictions have been put on the Regency of our grandson, Andani Yakubu Abudulai. He is in fact, a legitimate Regent of Dagbon by his birth right in accordance with Dagbon customary practices. He is, regrettably however, being discriminated against by those restrictions. We are reliably informed that they are rather uncustomary in the history of Dagbon Chieftaincy.

Also, in Dagbon, it is now general knowledge that Ya-Naa Yakubu II was assassinated so as to permit breaches of Dagbon customary practices.

Further more, that is why the perpetrators of Ya-Naa Yakubu II’s assassination have not been arrested and punished. That alone is encouraging more assassinations.

With the discrimination against the Regent of Dagbon in the Roadmap to Peace in Dagbon; the general knowledge about the assassination of his late father and the failure of the Ghana Government to arrest the perpetrators of that assassination have all contributed to encourage the plot to assassinate the Regent of Dagbon. The law is considered bias in favour of anarchists and this state of affairs if not corrected will threaten peace, law and order in the whole country.

CONCLUSION

We pray, your Majesty to ensure that:

1. The threat on the life of our grandson, the Regent of Dagbon, is thoroughly investigated and all necessary steps taken by the state to protect him.

2. The Government of Ghana seek, arrest and punish the perpetrators of the assassination of Ya-Naa Yakubu II to serve as a deterrent to like-minded persons and forestall future chaos.

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3. The Regent of Dagbon is accorded recognition fully according to the customs of Dagbon and vested with all the rights and privileges of his regency.

Your Majesty, we seek peace, freedom and justice for all mankind. We are not for war unless it is brought to us.

Long, May Peace, Justice and good rule reign in Ghana.

Yours faithfully,

……………………………….. 1. Ubor Labal II (PARAMOUNT CHIEF OF SANGULI)

……………………………… 2. Ubor Njobi Dachili (DIV. CHIEF OF KPALBA)

……………………………… 3. Ubor Mayemba Yejesi (DIV. CHIEF OF LIKPALAB/KPAKIGBANI)

cc: The President of the Republic of Ghana, Accra

The Northern Regional Minister, Tamale

The Chairman, REGSEC, Tamale

The Yagbong-Wura, Damongo The Nayiri, Nalerigu The President Northern Regional House of Chiefs, Tamale The President, Dagbon Traditional Council, Yendi The Head, Abudulai Royal Family, Yendi The Head, Andani Royal Family, Yendi The General Secretary, Christian Council of Ghana The Chief Imam, Office of the National Imam The President, Ghana Bar Association (GBA) The Ghana News Agency, Accra The Representative of the United Nation, Accra The Representative, West Africa Network for Peace Building