Yendi: Too Bloody to Ignore

At his wit end as to how he can create peace between two constantly feuding sides who indeed are siblings with equal rights to a skin (royalty), the President might have done the most politically expedient - choose a Regional Minister for the home region i.e. the Northern Region, from the Andani gate of the royal family.

Already a kinsman from the Abudu gate had been made the Interior Minister.

The Vice President, National Security boss and others were also of the Abudu gate. So despite the seemingly heavy load towards the Abudu side, it was thought that the Regional Minister, who indeed shared the same lineage as the Overlord, would engender the calm, we know better now. There were accusations and counter accusations laced with suspicion and superstition.

It was even rumored that a former President had urged the Overlord not to visit Accra if he did not want to suffer the fate of his pre-decessor. Those were events leading to one very loaded week.

Faced therefore with an unstoppable wave of agitation, the President acting on intelligence report had moved quickly, imposing a six to six curfew on the township and a subsequent end to the celebration of the one festival that could ignite flaying tempers — the fire festival.

This was apparently pushed aside at the last moment perhaps due to mounting social and politico-religious tension. The upshot has been both politically and socially disastrous for the two ministers (at least for now).

Now the people are calling on the President to act swiftly and decisively on the rather very complex but deep tradition of a people with a very proud heritage. And they also contend that even though it may not be easy, the President should, if he wants to salvage his mission, take urgent remedial action.

Which might have pushed the Information and Presidential Affairs Minister to enforce the state of emergency declared by the President in relation to the censorship of news and information from the inflamed part of the country.

Already the President has ordered a full-scale operation that will identify, apprehend and bring to quick justice the perpetrators of the heinous crime in the conflict. He has also accepted the resignations of the Ministers in charge of the Interior and northern region to aid investigations being carried out by the government on the Dagbon tragedy.

Before press time, the Abudu Gate of Dagbon had issued protest at what it says is a “bias nature of reportage on the current situation in Yendi by sections of the media, both domestic and foreign.

” While expressing shock “as any other Dagomba or indeed Ghanaian at the news of the cruel and gruesome attack and murder of the Overlord and others of the community, the statement also entreated all Dagbon descendants to soberly reflect and rationalize the event in order to arrive at conclusions based on facts. That way, the problem would be dealt with squarely as one people in search of a lasting peace.