Peace and unity cannot come to Dagbon just by chance; they have to come through the making of concessions and repositioning of age-old beliefs, views, and stances on the DCC, and developing a fresh level of mutual understanding for the future. I urge all Dagombas not to allow the events of yesteryear to influence the prospects of a great tomorrow for our kingdom, honour of our past Kings and high regard for our proud history notwithstanding. We should cherish all our dead Kings, regardless of the views we held in the past about the rightfulness of their en-skinment, and say: let bygones be bygones, enough of the hatred, enough of the violence, enough of the vendetta, enough of the division, all we want is peace and unity for Dagbon now and for ever!

As a Dagomba, I am qualified by my birth-right as a native of Dagbon to take steps that are aimed at progress for the kingdom, for I will honour and pay homage to any Ya Naa, either from the Abudu Gate or the Andani Gate, and will regard him as King of Dagbon without any reservations.

Thus, on behalf of all members of the Abudu Gate; family, supporters, and on my own behalf, I render our most sincere apology to all members of the Andani Gate; family, and supporters for all the mess and pain caused them in the past.

Again, on behalf of all members of the Andani Gate; family, supporters, and on my own behalf, I render our most sincere apology to all members of the Abudu Gate; family, and supporters for all the mess and pain caused them in the past.

Change involves empathizing with each other and forgiving one another. The following contentious facts form the basis of this proposal for peace and unity in Dagbon because they are the facts that have divided us for decades now and they are the same facts that will unite us again, forever:

1.Dagbon has two Royal Gates to the Yani Skin: The Abudu Gate and the Andani Gate.
2.Dagbon can have only one Ya Naa at any given time.
3.The Yani skin must be alternated between the two Royal Gates following the natural death of a sitting Ya Naa.
4.Naa Yakubu Andani II was a Ya Naa.
5.Naa Yakubu Andani II was murdered and did not die a natural death (still reposed on traditional terms); hence his rule of Dagbon did not end naturally.
6.Naa Mahamadu Abdulai IV was a Ya Naa.
7.Naa Andani Mahama III was a Ya Naa.
8.Naa Abdulai III was a Ya Naa.
9.Traditionally, all Ya Naas should be buried in the premises of the Ya Naa's Palace.
10.Traditionally, the final funeral rites of all Ya Naas should be performed in the Ya Naa's Palace.
11.Further, Dagbon history reveals that, since the death of Naa Yakubu I, father of Naa Abudu (Abudulai I) and Naa Andani II, in 1849, when the traditional succession to Yani began on rotation basis between the Abudu Gate and the Andani Gate till March 2002, the Abudu Royal House enskinned six (6) Ya Naas who ruled the Dagomba Kingdom for a total of eighty-six (86) years whereas the Andani Royal House enskinned four (4) Ya Naas, and one other who abdicated within hours due to old-age and ill-health, who ruled Dagbon for a total of approximately sixty-one (61) years as follows:

Abudu Gate:
Naa Abdulai I (1849 to 1876), thus 27 years
Naa Alasani (1899 to 1917), thus 18 years
Naa Abdulai II (1920 to 1938), thus 18 years
Naa Mahama III (1948 to 1953), thus 5 years
Naa Abdulai III (1954 to 1967), thus 13 years
Naa Mahama IV (1969 to 1974), thus 5 years

Andani Gate:
Naa Andani II (1876 to 1899), thus 23 years
Naa Mahama II (1938 to 1948), thus 10 years
Naa Andani III (November 22, 1968 to March 14, 1969), thus 0.3 years
Naa Yakubu Andani II (1974 to 2002), thus 28 years.

In total, the Andani Gate ruled for 61 years between the four (4) Kings, while the Abudu Gate ruled for 86 years between the six (6) Kings. Some of these dates may be disputed by some, but the key issue that matters here is not the exactness of the dates; rather it is the pattern of the switch-overs

All Dagombas, including the Abudu and the Andani family should make concessions, stop pointing fingers at each other, accusing, and blaming each other for what happened in the past, and start talking peace today. Regarding the murder of Naa Yakubu Andani II, we should not point accusing fingers at a particular section of Dagbon. In the meantime, I propose that we break away from dwelling on our ugly past and begin living afresh as one united family again. All previous and pending litigations, disagreements, fights, and ill-feelings should be put completely behind us and lets start looking forward to a better and brighter future. We simply have to, for the sake of peace and unity of the Kingdom.

Interment of the Ya Naas

At any convenient time, the body of Naa Yakubu Andani II should be interred in the premises of the Ya Naa's Palace in Yendi. The traditional interment of the Ya Naa is theoretically the responsibility of all Dagombas, but the scheduling of the event is a matter for the elders of the Andani family to decide. Dagbon tradition does not specify when burial of a Ya Naa should take place when death occurs, and similarly, it does not stipulate when the funeral of a Ya Naa should be performed.

However, in honour of Naa Yakubu Andani II, and to accord him the maximum respect that he deserves, it is only prudent to suggest, with all respect, that elders of the Andani family plan and prepare grounds for traditional burial ceremony to take place in not a distant future. Such action will definitely propel the effort to bring peace to Dagbon again. In my view, we will be serving Naa Yakubu Andani II traditional justice by respecting and honouring him with burial as soon as appropriate.

After all, as far as he, Naa Yakubu Andani II is concerned, traditional justice is worthier than the superficial justice that will be imposed upon those calling for it. We should not allow our sacred traditional processes to be dependent on or dictated by national politicians. We should separate political justice (politics) from traditional justice (traditions). Nevertheless, government has a big role to play in this all-important traditional occasion of interment. We expect that not a single life should be lost when the burial takes place, so government should ensure that maximum security is deployed during the event.

If it is necessary to deploy a battalion of soldiers in Yendi for the burial ceremony then government should take such steps to ensure there are no security breaches. All Dagombas, irrespective of their inclinations to the Royal Gates, should support and/or participate in the burial of Naa Yakubu Andani II.

I appeal to members of the Andani Family, despite the pain and grief, to find some grace in their hearts to forgive whoever murdered Naa Yakubu Andani II. This kind of forgiveness is central to the continuity of the Dagomba Kingdom as a single traditional entity. By the same token, I appeal to members of the Abudu Family to withdraw any litigations still pending in the national courts on the DCC and move towards a family settlement with members of the Andani Gate of whatever differences there still might exist.

Two tombs be made for Ya Naa Yakubu Andani, one in the current Palace in Yendi and another (symbolic transfer and re-burial) in the new Ya Naa's Palace in Tamale (assuming my proposal to relocate Yani from Yendi to Tamale is accepted), if elders of the Andani Gate see fit. The rationale behind this proposed double tombs is two-fold:

a. To ensure continuity in the trail and history of Dagbon and the trail of the Andani succession line, and

b. Because Naa Yakubu Andani II is the 'bridge' between the dark history of Dagbon and the bright future of Dagbon, a chaotic Dagbon and a peaceful Dagbon, a divided Dagbon and a united Dagbon, an acrimonious Dagbon and a friendly Dagbon, a shameful Dagbon and a proud Dagbon, a sad Dagbon and a joyous Dagbon, the Old Dagbon and the New Dagbon, and simply, he is the "bridge" between the past and the future, the future full of all the good things we wish for our Kingdom.

The final funeral rites of Naa Yakubu Andani should be performed in the Ya Naa's Palace in Yendi not very long after the burial has taken place, given that a long period has elapsed following his murder and the impending interment. For the sake of achieving peace and unity early, the final funeral rites could happen immediately after the burial, or within a year, which is a reasonable grace period between the burial and the final funeral rites ceremonies. However, it is left to the Dagbon Traditional Council and elders of the Andani family to decide the scheduling of the events.

All Dagombas should support and/or participate in the final funeral rites of Naa Yakubu Andani, as this will foster unity among us again. The traditions of Dagbon should be respected and maintained as far as final funeral rites of Ya Naas are concerned.

Enskinnment of next Yaa Naa

The next Ya Naa should be enskinned in the Ya Naa's Palace in Yendi as soon as the final funeral rites of Naa Yakubu Andani II have been performed. All Dagombas should support and/or participate in the enskinment of the new Ya Naa, as this will foster unity among us again.

The next Ya Naa, once enskinned in the Ya Naa's Palace in Yendi, should be transferred to the new Ya Naa's Palace in Tamale (assuming my proposal to relocate Yani from Yendi to Tamale is accepted and implemented). This action will symbolically ensure continuity in the trail of the history of Dagbon and will reflect the new transition for peace and unity we are fighting for now. All subsequent Ya Naas shall be buried in the Tamale Palace. All Dagombas should support and/or participate in the transfer procession of the new Ya Naa. Support and/or Participation by all Dagombas will speed up the peace process.

All future Ya Naas will continue to be enskinned in Yendi and then transferred to the new Palace in Tamale. By this, all the sacred traditional and customary rites will be practised and maintained.

The final funeral rites of Naa Mahamadu Abdulai IV should be performed in the Ya Naa's Palace in Yendi subsequent to the burial, the final funeral rites of Naa Yakubu Andani II and the enskinment of the new Ya Naa. All Dagombas should support and/or participate in the final funeral rites of Naa Mahamadu Abdulai IV, for that will serve as a show of unity among us again. However, it is up to the Dagbon Traditional Council and elders of the Abudu Gate to decide the scheduling of the events. The traditions of Dagbon should be respected and maintained as far as final funeral rites of Ya Naas are concerned.

For the sake of peace and unity, I call on the Andani and the Abudu families to come together and jointly plan the burial and final funeral rites of Naa Yakubu Andani II and Naa Mahamadu Abdulai IV. Firstly, the interment and final funeral rites of Naa Yakubu Andani II should be performed and afterwards that of Naa Mahamadu Abdulai IV.

The reason is that the succession process to the Ya Naa skin can only commence after the burial and final funeral rites of Naa Yakubu Andani II are performed. The succession of anyone from the Abudu Gate to the proposed new Yendi skin can only be effected after the final funeral rites of Naa Mahamadu Abdulai IV have been performed. This idea is to foster unity among these two families and among all Dagombas as a whole.

The events of March 27, 2002 was a test for us, Dagombas, to assess our collective will to overcome the devil. It was a test to reveal whether we want to continue to live in peace or in chaos. It was a test to ascertain whether we want to continue to hate each other or begin to love each other.

It is a test to uncover whether we want to continue to be or not to be. I am optimistic that the declaration of peace in Dagbon, hopefully, before the end of 2005, will lead to the joint-planning project of the burial and final funeral rites of the last two Ya Naas of the Dagomba Kingdom.

If we go through the psychological change proposed in the preceding sections of this document, I am sure we can all understand each other and plan these very crucial ceremonies together. After all, the great, great, great, great grandfather of these two Ya Naas, Naa Yakubu I, would wish for this kind of joint treatment for his great, great, great, great grandsons: Naa Yakubu Andani II and Naa Mahamadu Abdulai IV.

I am afraid to warn that doing things in a rush without patience can have serious and untold consequences on all Dagombas, and it is better to act with patience and attain peace than act in haste and destroy any prospects of achieving peace. The end goal of Dagbon is to have a Ya Naa who will be respected and honoured by All Dagombas and not just a faction of the tribe. We have to live in the modern world of understanding and tolerance and not in the primitive world of zero-understanding and intolerance, because that will get us nowhere as a tribe.

To be continued...