Andanis vow not to allow burial of late Ya-Naa in Gbewa Palace

The Andani royal gate has vowed to never allow the Otumfuo Committee of Eminent Chiefs give the green light for a regal funeral for the late Mahamadu Abdulahi in the Gbewaa Palace as demanded by the rival Abudu family.

The Abudus recognize the late Abdulahi as a worthy Dagbon king who merits a befitting funeral at the Gbewaa Palace as is the tradition for every Ya-Naa.

The Andanis who never saw Abdulahi as the King of Dagbon are opposed to having his funeral in the Palace, insisting he was not a recognized Ya-Naa.

Andani Spokesperson, Dr Yahuza Gomda told Citi News the Abudus, who announced their return to the Otumfuo mediating Committee after months of boycott, must not delude themselves into thinking their funeral demand would be granted.

“If their aim is to truncate the traditions and customs of Dagbon then I am sorry. The roadmap doesn’t supersede the history of Dagbon. All they are saying is that Mohammed Abdulai’s funeral should be performed in the Gbewa Palace which our tradition doesn’t allow and that the regent should not install any Chief which our tradition doesn’t also allow.

“So if what they want is to bulldoze their way through without regarding our tradition then no way, we are not going to accept that…we would never accept that”.

Meanwhile, spokesperson for the Abudu Royal Gate, Dr Ziblim Iddi claimed that the deceased overlord of Dagbon Yakubu Andani II agreed prior to his death in March 2002, that Mahamadu Abdulahi be accorded a regal funeral at the Gbewaa Palace as a sign of reconciling the two families.

“Chiefs from the Andani side came to the table and agreed with the Abudus that the funeral of the late Ya-Naa Mahamadu Abdulahi should be performed in the Gbewaa Palace.

“There was a document after the Supreme Court ruling called the Memorandum of Agreement, now when the document was presented at the Manhyia Palace, the Andanis were alarmed, they didn’t know that there was a document which states very categorically that upon the death of the late Ya-Naa Mahamadu Abdulahi, he should be accorded the full rights as that of a Ya-Naa. The Late Ya-Naa Yakubu Andani signed onto that document…I have a copy of a video recording of that signing process”.

Source: Citifmonline.com