We don’t accept ruling on Bimbilla case – Late Naa Salifu Dawuni Family

The family of the late Naa Salifu Dawuni, the faction that lost in Supreme Court’s ruling on Bimbilla Chieftaincy dispute has vowed never to accept the verdict.

The Salifu Dawuni family lost to Dasani family in the dispute over the rightful overlord of the  Nanung traditional area of the Northern Region.

According to the spokesperson for the family, Chief Bolahi Abu Hassan, the family will not accept the Supreme Court verdict and will not pay homage to the recognised chief.

He said the Supreme Court could not rewrite the history of Nanung people as it cannot also force on the Nanung traditional area the practices of other traditional areas.

“We the family of the royals in Nanung will not accept the ruling, and we will not pay homage to Andani’s regent. We are yet to sit down and take a decision on the steps that we will use to fight for our rights and to ensure that the traditions and customs of Nanung are adhered to. What the Supreme Court is saying is totally strange in the tradition and customs of Nanung, and for which reason, we are not going to accept it”.

He however assured that the family will not take guns or cutlasses to fight anybody but to make sure that they use other means to get the truth.

He enumerated the steps they intend to do:

“We want to tell the whole world that Nanumbas do not accept the verdict of the Supreme Court and we are saying that one, we won’t pay homage or recognize the Andani’s regent as the regent of Nanung and we will take other due steps to fight for our rights and we want to assure that we will not resort to violence”.

Chief Bolahi further accused the Andanis in Dagbon and the chiefs in the Gonjaland, both NDC and NPP of trying to destroy Nanung.

He said they will not allow that to happen.

“We suspect political operations in the matter, and we equally suspect the involvement of the Dagbon Andanis faction. They manipulated the matter and the Gonjas vehemently by our observations at the Supreme Court. This is not a Gonjaland matter, a number of the Gonja chiefs were in the court, what do they want there?” he asked.

This was said when the Northern Regional Peace Council together with the local mediation team paid a visit to the area to see the situation on the ground after the Supreme Court gave  ruling last week.

On his part, the Regent of the late Naa Andani Dasana, Nyeb Nyelinbolgu Naa Yakubu Andani Dasana says the victory from the Supreme Court is for all Nanumbas and has urged that all should accept it for Nanung to also have its share of development.

“The verdict was to clear our differences and for us to catch up the loses that the kingdom has suffered. We need to hurry. The verdict is a victory for Nanung and not for any group of people; we always live as one people. The struggle for the throne as always been the norm when it comes to the Naa Gbewaa lineage”.

“But we had an embarrassing incident of murder when it comes to our situation. I will like to call on all Nanumbas far and near to come together that we are ready to take the race of development for our children to get enough education. Our primary source of employment is farming; it will also be boasted. There is no further reason for the government to delay our development for the excuse of the chieftaincy dispute in the area”.

The spokesperson for the Dasana family, Osman Kikaa told Citi News that they are ready to reconcile with all and to forgive one another.

He said they won’t retaliate and their doors are open to reconciliation.

“The message from the council is that the verdict has come in favour of Nanung and it has been very categorical as to who can aspire to the Bimbilla throne, it has not left behind the authenticity of our regalia, making it very clear to the understanding of everybody that to ascend to the throne of Bimbilla paramountcy, you need the endorsement of the kingmakers and for that matter the usage of the regalia and the significance of it is to do away with violence and misunderstanding in  subsequent related issues”.

“What the regent has for the people of Ghana is that together as Nanumbas we have to come together. He is very much aware that marriages broke as a result of the struggle, friendship tore apart due to the chieftaincy litigation and brotherliness got weakened. There is the need for us to use this victory as a landmark to reconcile all towards the development of the area”.

The highest court of the land on May 23, 2018 gave a landmark verdict on the over 15 years chieftaincy struggle in Bimbilla.

The struggle has claimed over 40 lives and properties running into millions of cedis destroyed.

Bimbilla has as a result of the struggle been under dawn to dusk curfew which has affected economic activities in the area.

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