Yaa Naa’s funeral ends with prayers for harmony

The final funeral rites of Yaa Naa Yakubu Andani II ended peacefully at the forecourt of the Gbewaa Palace in Yendi yesterday. The ceremony was preceded by some sacrifices and almsgiving (Sara malbu). There was also the recitation of the Holy Quran and special prayers led by the Yan-Limam, Shehu Yussif Yakubu Gomda, for the soul of the late Dagbon Overlord and his predecessors and for lasting harmony in Dagbon and the country.

The event was attended by chiefs, some custodians of Dagbon tradition, royal family members, Muslim clerics and sympathisers.

The Kampakuya Naa, Abdulai Andani, did not attend the ceremony for the reason that, traditionally, a regent does not attend events on Fridays.

Also present were the Supervising High Court Judge in Tamale, Justice Richard M. Kogyapwah; the Vicar General of the Yendi Catholic Diocese, Rev. Fr David Kajal, some members of the Yendi Peace Centre and other guests.

Programme

The successful prayer event has now brought closure to the final funeral rites of both Yaa Naa Muhamadu Abdulai IV and Yaa Naa Yakubu Andani II.

In line with the road map to peace in Dagbon, the Abudu Royal Family in the Dagbon chieftaincy divide was tasked to perform the funeral of Yaa Naa Abdulai from December 14, 2018 to December 28, 2018, after which the Andani Royal Family was asked to organise the funeral of Yaa Naa Andani ll from January 4, 2019, to January 18, 2019.

With the funerals of the two Yaa Naas over, the attention of the people has now turned to who becomes the next Yaa Naa of Dagbon.

The question of who eventually wears the enviable crown will hopefully be determined this week after the kingmakers have performed all the necessary traditional and customary rites, including consultation of the oracles.

Quran recitation and prayers being offered at the forecourt of the Gbewaa Palace in Yendi yesterday to climax the funeral of Yaa Naa Yakubu Andani

Recall

The Asantehene-led Committee of Eminent Chiefs on November 16, 2018, made a declaration to bring finality to the decades-old conflict between the Abudu and Andani Royal families in Dagbon when they presented a document on the road map to peace in the troubled kingdom to President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, at the Jubilee House in Accra.

The committee was set up by former President John Kufuor in 2002 to find lasting solution to the long-drawn-out Dagbon chieftaincy dispute after the murder of Yaa Naa Yakubu Andani in Yendi in March 2002.

The committee is made up of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II; the Yagbonwura, Tuntumba Boresa Sulemana Jakpa I; the Paramount Chief of the Gonja Traditional Area and the Nayiri, Na Bohugu Abdulai Mahami Sheriga; the Paramount Chief of the Mamprugu Traditional Area.