The Andani family have accused the Ashanti overlord of siding with the Abudus and have subsequently announced their withdrawal from the committee.
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has been accused by the Andani family in the Northern region of scheming to impose on them the new Yaa Na.
According to them, the Asantehene is on the side of the Abudus and is trying to help them takeover the Gbewaa Palace and perform funeral rite of late Naa Mahamadu Abdulai.
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The Abudu and the Andani families have been at war in the past few years, with tensions growing over which family deserves the crown.
The two factions have also been involved in violent clashes over the years, concerning the rightful person to be installed as chief.
As a result, a mediation committee was set up, of which the Otumfuo is a member, to help resolve the issue between the two earring families.
However, the Andani family have accused the Ashanti overlord of siding with the Abudus and have subsequently announced their withdrawal from the committee.
According to them, the committee’s work is not based on principle, moral authority and integrity to mediate the crisis.
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The family is also calling for a dissolution of the committee resolving the Dagbon chieftaincy crises.
At a press conference on Monday, 25 June 2018, spokesperson for the Andani family Basharu Alhassan Dabali said: “Indeed, the Otumfuo had earlier, in two separate decisions, maintained that the Funeral of Mahamadu Abdulai would not be performed at the Gbewaa Palace but rather at the place where he died. This position of the Otumfuo was what led representatives of the Mahamadu Abdulai factions to announce a boycott of the mediation process. We therefore express our utter outrage at this sudden u-turn by the Otumfuo.”
He added: “He cannot, and I repeat it, government cannot, the Asantehene cannot enskin Yaa Naa for Dagbon. Dagbon is not for sale. Those who are deceiving them that they are speaking for the Andani family are betrayers, so, they should not try to usurp the powers of the custodians of Dagbon. We have been very patient for a very long time and our patience should not be misconstrued as being weak.”