Andani family accuses government of scheming to enskin its preferred Yaa-Naa

One of the feuding families in the protracted Dagbon Chieftaincy issue, the Andani family has accused the government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of scheming to have its preferred chief enskinned as substantive Yaa-Naa despite unresolved issues.

They have accordingly threatened to resist attempts by government and its assignees to go ahead and compel the evacuation of the Andani family from the Gbewaa Palace to allow for the occupation by the other divide for the performance of the final funeral rites of Naa Mahamadu Abdulai.

According to them, they are reliably informed that a delegation led by the National Security Minister, Kan Dapaah to the area to discuss the processes leading to the esnkinment of the a substantive Yaa-Naa without recourse to what is happening.

“Clearly, the provision in the Kan Dapaah delegation, which allows the family of the Mahamadu Abdulai to occupy the Gbewaa palace for one week to perform the funeral of the said Mahamadu Abdulai is a continuation of the process that led to the murder of Yaa Naa Yakubu Andani II. We have no doubt in our minds that the NPP government is hell-bent on fulfilling their earlier promise to the Mahamadu Family”, they revealed at a press conference on Wednesday

As a prerequisite for the performance of the funeral of Naa Mahamadu Abdulai, they want the killers of the late Yaa-Naa Yakubu Andani II arrested and dealt with.

Elder son of the late Naa Andani, Abdulai Yakubu Andani who addressed the media said:“allowing the Abudus to perform the funeral at the palace would be a desecration of the memory our fathers. The year 2017 will not be like the year 2002”

Read full highlights of their release

“Last week, our attention was drawn to a visit to the palace of the Kug’Naa by a government delegation headed by the Honourable Minister of National Security Mr Kan Dapaah, during which the delegation made some far reaching statements concerning the performance of the funeral of our father, the late Yaa Naa Yakubu Andani II. The delegation also outlined a programme assigning in advance the gate skins of Mion and Savelugu to some particular persons. The programme also confers the position of Yaa Naa on the delegation’s preferred candidate.

We the children and family of the late Yaa Naa Yakubu Andani II are particularly outraged by the provision in the delegation’s programme which gives the Abudu Royal family permission to occupy the old Gbewaa Palace in order to perform the funeral of Mahamadu Abdulai.

This is arrogance of the highest order and complete disrespect for the sensibilities of the Andani family, considering the circumstances that have led Dagbon to the current crisis which the Kan Dapaah delegation is purportedly trying to solve.

We would not have vacated the palace as this was contrary to Dagbon custom and tradition. Clearly, the provision in the agenda of Kan Dapaah delegation, which allows the family of Mahamadu Abdulai is a continuation of the process that led to the murder of Yaa Naa Yakubu Andani II.

We have no doubt in our minds that the NPP government is hellbent on fulfilling their earlier promise to the Mahamudu Abdulai family which Elizabeth Ohene alluded to on the “front page” programme of Joy FM on Friday March 29, 2002. This fact is not lost on us the sons and daughters of the late Yaa Naa.

We are also Particularly outraged at the plan of the delegation of the Minister of National Security because it contradicts in a very fundamental way very recent pronouncements by His Excellency the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. Barely a month ago on October 7, 2017, during a visit to the Gbewaa Palace, His Excellency the President declared emphatically that he is neither Abudu or Andani, and even a Dagomba, and as such has no interest in the Dagbon chieftaincy affairs.

He went on to warn his appointees not to interfere in matters concerning Dagbon chieftaincy. We, the sons and daughters of Yaa Naa Yakubu Andani II have taken note of the President’s words, but we have not lost sight of our experience of March 2002 and similar assurances that were given us prior to the murder of the Yaa Naa and the other members of his royal household.

We are also astonished at the display of utter contempt for Dagbon customs and traditions and for the people of Dagbon shown by the Kan Dapaah delegation. We would like to draw the attention of the Honourable Minister to the fact that he has been appointed to deal with matters related to the security of the country. And there is an outstanding matter of serious concern to Dagbon and to the country at large, and it relates to the criminal elements who carried out those heinous crimes on march 27, 2002. The government he represents knows these criminal elements, and we expect the Honourable minister to concentrate his efforts on ensuring that they are apprehended and brought to justice. He should leave Dagbon traditional matters to those customarily entrusted with such responsibilities.

We demand of the Honourable Minister to tell us who killed our father, Yaa Naa Yakubu Andani II. And until these murderers are made to face the full rigours of the law, there can never be any talk of performing the funeral of our murdered father, Yaa Naa Yakubu Andani II. Still on the topic of funerals, we also wish to state that we will resist, by any means necessary, any attempt to perform the funeral of Mahamadu Abdulai at the old Gbewaa Palace for the reason that he was not a Yaa Naa, and it would be a desecration of the memory of our father if we allow the funeral to be performed at the said palace. The year 2017 will not be like the year 2002.”