We are ready to perform funeral of Yaa Naa Yakubu Andani II - Family

The Head of the Andani Royal Family, Yoo-Naa Abukari VII, and the Kampakuya-Naa, Yakubu Abdulai Andani, have indicated their readiness and preparedness to hold the funeral of the late Yaa-Naa, Yakubu Andani II, from Friday, January 4, 2019.

This was after the Vo-Naa, Mahamadu Bawa, conveyed the message, on behalf of the Andani Royal family, to President Nana Addo Dankwa
Akufo-Addo, on Thursday, December 27, 2018, at Jubilee House, the seat of government.

A statement issued by the Jubilee House Communications Bureau explained that, speaking at the brief ceremony, the Vo-Naa, who is Chairman of the Funeral Committee, noted that “with the final funeral rites of Yaa-Naa Mahamudu Abdulai about to end on Friday, December 28, 2018, the Andani Royal Family is ready and willing to commence the funeral rites of Yaa-Naa Yakubu Andani II on January 4, 2019, and complete it on January 18th, 2019.”

He also used the opportunity to thank President Akufo-Addo for helping to ensure “a united Dagbon”, and, thus, invited the President to the final funeral rites of Yaa-Naa Yakubu set to be held on Thursday, January 17, 2019.

Vo-Naa Mahamadu Bawa also urged government to continue to do all it can to bring the killers of Yaa Naa Yakubu Andani II to justice, so as to bring closure and
finality to the matter.

The children of the late Yaa 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.

On his part, President Akufo-Addo expressed his gratitude to the Head of the Andani Royal Family for the message, describing it as one “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.”

The President was overjoyed 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,” he added.

President Akufo-Addo continued, “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.”

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, will 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 for 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.

Credit: Jubilee House Communications