Wungu Naba Banishes Family Of 23 in Walewale

The Paramount Chief of the Wungu Traditional Area Wungu Naba Alhaji Saaka Sulemana, is reported to have banished one Fuseini Bawa and his entire household of 23 from their residence at Kukuazugu, a suburb of Walewale in the West Mamprusi District of the Northern Region.

The chief has also seized the residential house including four other uncompleted houses as well as two boutiques belonging to Fuseini and his family.

This development comes on the heels of several allegations being leveled against the Wungu Naba in recent times. He is accused by some citizens of the area for always using his children to bully and beat up anyone who opposes his autocratic style of leadership.

For instance, on March 10, 2013, two sons of the Wungu Naba reportedly beat up one Issifu Sulemana, a development worker in the presence of the Walewale police for arresting a Fulani man who unknown to the latter was working for the former.

The herdsman, according to Issifu who spoke to this writer, had allowed cattle to destroy a forest plantation established with the support of the same chief to combat environmental degradation in his area but who later turned around to kick against the entire project for personal reasons.

Also, the Wungu Naba is alleged to have been sitting on criminal cases brought before him and taking arbitrary decisions to the displeasure of complainants most of the time.

Speaking to this writer via phone from a hideout, Fuseini confirmed that his two wives, eight children as well as other family members have been banished from Walewale and areas under the Wungu Traditional Area following his decision to go to court over a disagreement he had with the Wungu Naba.

He explained that, there was a disagreement over the distribution of a number of cattle left in the care of a Fulani herdsman called Amadu Braimah by several individuals after the Fulani man reportedly relocated to an unknown place.

The attention of the Wungu Naba, Fuseini said, was therefore drawn to a kraal of 115 cattle left behind by Amadu and he decided to seize them. Fuseini said: “I had a total of 26 cattle with Amadu but the Wungu Naba decided not to give me even a single calf”.

Speaking through an interpreter in his native Mampruli language, he added “I felt being cheated unfairly in the face of natural justice and therefore, I decided to seek legal redress to enable me get back my lifetime investment”.

However, the decision by Fuseini to sue the Wungu Naba, this paper gathered, did not entirely go down well with him as he questioned why the former will go to court over a spotless decision he (Wungu Naba) took. Feeling disrespected by Fuseini, the chief invoked a Stone Age punishment which involves banishing the former and his entire family from the town.

This writer gathered that, a taskforce led by one Chief Dan who is also a Registrar of Bolgatanga Polytechnic, a son of the Chief Imam of Walewale as well as Alhaji Abuba and Kosobe-Dana (both sons of Wungu Naba) stormed Kukuazugu on the night of December 24, 2013 and forcefully ejected Fuseini’s family from their home.

Fuseini’s wives, recalled that, an emissary sent by the Wungu chief led by Chief Dan came to their house and enquired of the whereabouts of their husband. However, they replied: “Our husband a few days ago heard that the Wungu Naba had banished him from the town and so, he decided to leave without informing us where he was going.”

In a vivid account to this paper, they said they were ejected from their home in the absence of their husband. “We had no place to go rather than spending the night in the bush with our children”.

In a sharp response, Sadia, first wife of Fuseini, noted that one of those sent by the chief said: “It’s not only your husband who has been asked to leave this town…. you’re also included…..everybody in this house is leaving”.

The second wife, Faida, also told this reporter that she had to endure the cold harmattan night by sleeping in the bush with her one year old baby till the following day. No one, she said in sobs, “came to our aid”.

When contacted, Chief Dan flatly denied that he led a taskforce that was sent by the Wungu Naba to eject Fuseini and his family from their home at Kukuazugu on the eve of Christmas.

Although he admitted the banishment incident took place, Chief Dan said he was in Bolgatanga at the time it happened and therefore, if anyone said he led any taskforce to eject Fuseini and his family from their home, it is a lie.

The Spokesperson to the Wungu Naba, Kusob Baba, when contacted by this writer, also declined to comment, except to say that, the matter has been referred to the Nayiri (King of the Mamprugu Kingdom) for redress.

Meanwhile, at the time of going to press, Fuseini told this reporter in telephone chat that his entire family has since defied the chief’s order of leaving the town and reoccupied the house from which they were thrown out.

According to him, his wives, children and other family members, however, have been informed by the subjects of the Wungu Naba that they will be treated in a much inhumane manner on their return next time.

Also, the other four uncompleted houses and the two boutiques which serve as source of income to the family aside the cattle business he is doing, are still under lock and key by the Wungu Naba, Fuseini disclosed. “I cannot go back to the house because my wives said it’s not advisable I come home….they fear for my life. I am running and hiding. My family are hungry…hunger is killing them because their shops have been seized by the Wungu Naba. Please my brother, do what you can do so that I can get help for my wives and little children”, he said in a sad tone.