Ya Na to be buried on April 10

Kumasi, March 31, GNA - Barring any last minute controversies, Ya Na Yakubu Andani II, the late overlord of the Dagbon, would be buried on April 10 this year.

A Council of Elders comprising three representatives each from the Andani and Abudu families is to be constituted immediately and act in concert with the Kuga-Naa and the regent to handle all traditional arrangements in respect of the burial of Naa Yakubu Andani and the performance of his funeral rites and that of the late Naa Mahamadu Abudulai.

A statement issued by the Committee of Eminent Kings on the Dagbon crisis in Kumasi on Thursday evening after a two day- meeting with the Abudu and Andani factions in the conflict said the burial of the late Ya Na would be performed in the royal mausoleum while all other purposes connected to his burial shall be performed at the temporary palace. It said the powers of the regent would be limited because of the peculiar circumstances in Dagbon today and that he would not appoint any chief or to alienate any land or other resources belonging to the Dagbon state.

The statement said the regent, with the concurrence of the Kuga Naa and the Council of Elders, would appoint chiefs to vacant skins whose participation would be crucial to the performance of the funeral rites of Naa Yakubu Andani and Naa Mahamadu and also assign the regent of Naa Mahamadu to a skin after the performance of the funeral of his father. According to the statement, there could be only one palace in the Dagbon kingdom and that the old Gbewaa palace would remain free of occupation or any activity until a date was set for the performance of the funeral rites of Naa Mahamadu Abudulai.

It said after the burial of Naa Yakubu Andani, both sides would meet again with the Committee of Eminent Kings to work out a programme for the funeral rites of Naa Yakubu Andani and Naa Mahamadu, adding that since Naa Mahamadu died before Naa Yakubu Andani, his funeral would be performed first.

The statement indicated that the Eminent Kings would agree upon a time frame with all the parties within which the respective funerals of the late kings would be performed.

According to the statement all the factions pledged to abide by the roadmap to peace and to encourage their supporters to continue to keep the peace.

It urged the parties to continue to live in the spirit of accommodation, compromise and oneness that constituted the foundation for the agreement and to avoid celebrations or acts that depicted victory or loss on any side.