Andani Royal Family Ready for the Final Funeral Rites of Late Ya-Na Yakubu II

A delegation from the Andani Royal family of Dagbon, Thursday called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House to announce the commencement of the final funeral rites of the late Ya-Na Yakubu Andani from the 4th to 18th January, 2019.

Vo-Naa Mahamadu Bawa, who spoke on behalf of the Andani Family said "with the final stages of the final funeral rites of former Ya-Na Mahamudu having commenced today, 27th December and will end tomorrow 28th December 2018, the Andani Royal Family is ready and willing to commence the final funeral rites of the late Ya-Na Yakubu II on 4th January, 2019, and complete it on 18th January, 2019."

Vo-Naa Mahamudu Bawa, who is also the chairman of the funeral committee, said the head of the Andani Royal Family, Yoo-Naa Abukari VII, and the Kampakuya-Naa, Yakubu Abdulai Andani, had indicated their readiness and preparedness to perform the final funeral rites of the late Ya-Naa, Yakubu Andani II.

He also used the opportunity to thank President Akufo-Addo and the Otumfuo Committee for their commitment to help ensure "a united Dagbon" and, thus, invited the President to the final funeral rites of Ya-Na Yakubu, which will be held on Thursday, 17th January, 2019.

The Vo-Naa also urged Government to bring a closure to the murder of Ya Na Yakubu Andani II by ensuring that those who committed the heinous crime face the consequences of the law.

The children of the late Ya Naa Yakubu Andani also reiterated their commitment to the success of the Dagbon peace process.

"We the children have made it clear that whatever we have to do or we must do to ensure that Dagbon gets lasting peace, not a short-term one, we are out to do it. We are with our President today, and we have made it known that whatever that must be done, as children of the late Ya-Naa, we are ready to do it," Mohammed Alhassan Andani added.

President Akufo-Addo on his part expressed gratitude to the Head of the Andani Royal Family for the commitment shown, adding that "everybody in Ghana will be very happy to hear today, and, as coming at the end of the year for those of us who are Christians, can be described as a big Christmas present."

He was happy that the process for the holding of the funerals of Naa Mahamadu Abdulai and Naa Yakubu Andani II was going on peacefully. The compromises made along the way by the Abudu and Andani Royal Families, President Akufo-Addo said, are signs of the commitment to the process and the restoration of peace and normalcy to Dagbon by both families.

"You can never make peace without compromises, and I think, in so far as those compromises have been made and where we are today, it is to the credit of the entire people of Dagbon and to you, the leaders, that you have heeded the advice for peace.

"I am particularly happy that, in my time as President of the Republic, these funerals can finally take place, and honour be done to them according to custom," the President added.

He assured the Andani Family that the events that led to the death of Ya Naa Yakubu Andani can never go away, and assured that "whatever needs to be done to unearth the truth has to continue to be done. I am a firm subscriber to that point of view. Criminal conduct can never go away, there has to be accountability for it."

The law enforcement agencies, he said, would need the co-operation of the people of Dagbon in order to help unravel the truth about the death of Ya-Naa Yakubu Andani II.

President Akufo-Addo congratulated the Yoo-Naa, the Kampakuya-Naa, and the elders of Dagbon on their sense of responsibility and statesmanship in bringing the process thus far.

"We will continue to count on you to shepherd us through the rest of the process, and then have a new Ya-Naa duly installed, who can bring all of Dagbon together, again, to become one of the most important traditional areas in our country," he added.

The Asantehene-led Mediation Committee responsible for brokering peace in the Dagbon chieftaincy issues concluded its finalised roadmap on Friday, November 16, 2018, to the restore peace in Dagbon.

The mediation Committee, led by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and his two compatriots Yagbonwura Tuntumba Bore Essa I, Overlord of the Gonja Traditional Area and Nayiri Naabohagu Mahami Abdulai Sheriga, Overlord of the Mamprugu resolved that the Abudu Royals should perform the funeral of the late Yaa-Naa, Mahamudu Abdulai, beginning December 14-28, 2018, followed by the funeral of the late Yaa-Naa Yakubu Andani II from 4th January to 18th January, 2019.

The Mediation Committee on Wednesday, 21st November, 2018, met with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo at Jubilee House on Wednesday, November 21, 2018 to formally announce the accepted road map, key was to perform the two final funerals rites at the old Gbewaa Palace in Yendi.

Source: ISD (Rex Mainoo Yeboah)

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