Dagbon On Time Bomb

Regent of Abudu Royal Gate

Information reaching Savannahnews has indicated that the order issued by the Northern Regional Security Council (REGSEC) to compel the Abudu Royal Family of the Dagbon Chieftaincy divide to celebrate this year’s 2013 Damba Festival at the Gbewa Palace in Yendi under the supervision of the Regent of Dagbon, Kampakuya-na Abdulai Yakubu Andani is likely to be defied.

 

Even though the REGSEC has since last week deployed several armed police and military personnel to Yendi to restrain the Abudu family led by Bolin-lana Mahamdu Abdulai II from celebrating the festival with his people at a separate location either than the Gbewa Palace, the Abudu’s leader seems rather ready to exercise a parallel authority.

 

The Bolin-lana and his people on last week Thursday (24^th January 2013) defied the heavy security presence in Yendi and went ahead to celebrate the Somo Damba, which is the first state of the festival amidst drumming and dancing. This celebration, according to our information, compelled the Regent of Dagbon, Kampakuya-na and his people to also celebrate the festival. 

 

The President of the Concerned Citizens Association of Tamale (CCAT), Alhassan Basharu Daballi in an interview with Savannahnews expressed fears that the “recent development in Yendi is sending the signal that Dagbon is on a Time bomb”.

 

According to him, the position taken by the Bolin-lana was not different from the 2002 Fire Festival which led to the murder of the late Overlord of Dagbon, Ya-Na Yakubu Andani where he said the Abubus celebrated their festival at the Bolin-lana’s palace and it brought about tension in the area.

 

Mr. Daballi therefore called on the Bolin-lana not to do anything that would cause violence in Dagbon and also respect the orders of the security. He also cautioned the Andanis to celebrate the festival within the confines of the law in order not to create any tension.

 

The Chairman of the REGSEC, Moses Bukari Mabengba told Savannahnews in an interview that, the decision by the Bolin-lana and the Abudu family to celebrate the Damba Festival at a separate ground was “an attempt to dare the security”.

 

According to the REGSEC Chairman also the Regional Minister, the celebration of the Damba festival in Yendi at only the Gbewa Palace was instituted by the erstwhile New Patriotic Party government and had since been upheld by the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) from 2009 till date and that he did not see the substance in the agitations of the Abudus.

 

Mr. Mabengba insisted that the directive issued by the Security to the Abudus was in the interest of peace in Dagbon and that “nobody could dare or stop the security from exercising their duties in Yendi”.

 

“In other parts of Dagbon because there is no tension, chiefs can celebrate Damba at anywhere but as for Yendi, no one has the right to do so unless he or she joins the Regent at the Gbewa Palace and so it must remain. I am not the one to change any tradition or history because I know the sensitive nature of the Dagbon crisis, but it is my duty as a Minister to ensure total peace in the region”.

 

He said that the Security would continue to stay in Yendi until the three stages of the Damba was celebrated by the Kampakuya-na and his chiefs. 

 

However, one of the Spokespersons for the Abudu Gate (name withheld) in a telephone interview with Savannahnews maintained that the Abudus could not join the Kampakuya-na at the Gbewa Palace for the celebration because they did not recognize him as a “legitimate Regent of Dagbon as far as the roadmap is concerned” hence their decision to hold the celebration at a separate place.

 

He asserted that the Yendi Municipal Security Committee and the REGSEC did not write officially to the Bolin-lana and the entire Abudu family to inform them to join the Kampakuya-na for the celebration at the Gbewa Palace so that they could be sure of their safety and security, but rather held the announcement on some local radio stations restraining them from celebrating the Damba.

 

According to the Abudus Spokesperson, the Security came to the Boli-lana’s palace to harass and intimidate their supporters with the excuse of searching for weapons, and even ended up injuring two of their youth through firing of warning shots.

 

He further asserted that “even the so-called order restraining us from celebrating the Damba was only heard on radio which is quite unfortunate and demeaning.

 

On the other hand, the Kampakuya-na and the Andani Family according to the Deputy Northern Regional Police Commander, ACP Mathew Kojo Appiagyei would be provided with the needed security throughout the celebration as ordered by the REGSEC.

 

He revealed that the Abudus just like the Kampakuya-na did, was supposed to write to the REGSEC to inform them about their interest to celebrate the festival, but they failed to do so.

 

ACP Appiagyei therefore pleaded with all the people in Yendi to go about the celebration peacefully. 

 

Meanwhile, the Regent of Dagbon, Kampakuya-na Abdulai Yakubu Andani told Savannahnews that the Gbewa Palace was opened to all citizens of Dagbon to join the celebration and not for only the Andanis.

 

According to him, he was a Regent of Dagbon and not a Regent of the Andani family, hence he would expect all the people both the Andanis and the Abudus to come together this year to celebrate the Damba Festival in a grand style.  

 

The Regent also assured the entire nation of a peaceful celebration from Tuesday 29^th to Thursday 31^st January 2013.