Bawumia’s father betrayed Mahama - Veteran CPP stalwart

Yipalawura Mahama Yahaya, a chief in the Bole Traditional Area, claims the father of the running mate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Mahamadu Bawumia betrayed President Mahama’s father.

According to the veteran Convention People’s Party (CPP) member, Mumuni Bawumia’s betrayal led the sack of E.A. Mahama as Northern Regional Commissioner by Ghana’s first President Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.

Speaking on Bole-based Nkilgi Fm in commemoration of the founder’s day celebration which fell on September 21, 2016, the 90-year old Yipalawura Yahaya disclosed that Mahamadu Bawumia’s father Mumuni Bawumia, was a United Party (UP) Member of Parliament (MP) who crossed carpet to Kwame Nkrumah’s CPP and became overly jealous of E.A. Mahama because of his dynamism and the massive development he sent to his people in Gonjaland which he Mumuni Bawumia could not do for his people at the Mamprugu area of Northern Region.

According to Yipalawura Yahaya, E.A Mahama who was the first member of Parliament (then called Legislative Assembly) for Western Gonja and who was a confidant of Dr Kwame Nkrumah and was able to provide electricity to the people of Bole (shortly after Tamale got electricity) through his Russian friends who were in Ghana to build bungalows now called “Russian bungalows” and that incurred the wrath of Bawumia’s father who reported him to Dr Kwame Nkrumah.

“Bole town got electricity in those days through a huge generator provided by the Russians before many other towns in Northern Ghana including Wa which is now the Regional capital of Upper West”, he disclosed.

The CPP veteran who is the surviving son of the famous paramount Chief of Gonja, Yagbonwura Mahama said he was present and saw everything and explained that President Mahama’s father was replaced with Mumuni Bawumia as Northern Regional Commissioner.

“E.A. Mahama went back to Bole after his sack and continued his good works as MP and through the prayer of his people was later recalled into Kwame Nkrumah’s government as Secretary to Parliament and later Minister of State”, he added.

Yipalawura Yahaya who is a historian said the success of modern politicians from Bole including President Mahama, Dr Abu Sakara Foster and others is because of the legacy Dr Kwame Nkrumah left for the people of Bole because he groomed the likes of E.A. Mahama who is father of President Mahama; S.S. Sakara, who is the father of Dr Abu Sakara Foster and B.A. Saaka who is the father of Professor Yakubu Saaka. He paid glowing tribute to Dr Nkrumah from Bole and lhaji Abu- Jajah Snr.

The chief said struggles Dr Kwame Nkrumah went through as a student and as a Pan Africanist should be a motivator to everyone who aspires to greater heights.