“I won’t allow anyone to hold Dagbon to ransom” – Otumfuo warns

The overlord of the Asante Kingdom, Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has sent a stern warning to detractors who intend to derail the peace process in Dagbon.

The respected Monarch who is the leader of a group of eminent chiefs tasked to restore peace to Dagbon in the Northern Region made the statement at a meeting on Wednesday, 21 November 2018.

The group led by the Asantehene presented the peace roadmap to President Nana Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House in the presence of elders from both the Andani and Abudi royal gates.

The monarch of the Asante Kingdom inquired about the presence the Kuga Na who was absent at the meeting.

Otumfuo was told that the Kuga Na was indisposed, hence his inability to honour the invitation to the Jubilee House for the event.

Otumfuo said there were issues raised by the representatives of the Regent of Dagbon, adding that the Kuga Na’s presence would have been appreciated, as the stakeholders and their representatives were present at the function.

He said the committee will take a decision on the stance of the Kuga Na to prevent his actions from derailing the peace efforts.

“After this, we will have to take very serious decisions on those people because I cannot countenance anyone holding Dagbon to ransom or the country to ransom because of their personal interest”, Otumfuo said.

He added: “Dagbon is at peace, all the elders are here and those are the elders who matter in Dagbon”.

Otumfuo added that the Regent is not supposed to be a Ya Na “and he was supposed to be a Regent of Dagbon for a period so that the processes for the funeral of Na Mahamadu and Na Yakubu could go on and then we have a Ya Na”.

It will be recalled that some Abudu youth of Yendi accused the Kuga Na of attempting to secretly enskin the Regent of Dagbon, Kampakuya Na Abdulai Andani as the Overlord of the Dagbon Kingdom.

Mr Mumuni Yussif, President of the Abudu Youth of Yendi, who announced this at a press conference, said: “We have received reports that Friday, August 3, 2018, the Kuga Na may want to do the unthinkable thing of secretly attempting to enskin the Kampakuya Na as Overlord of the Dagbon Kingdom.”

Mr Yussif warned that: “If the government will allow them access to the Royal Mausoleum, they should not blame the Abudus for what we have equally planned to do to contain the situation. May God forbid the blood that will be shed on that day”.