Yaa-Naa Andani's Funeral Set for Tomorrow

By Yaw Kyei

The Head of the Andani Royal Family, Yoo-Naa Abukari VII, and the Kampakuya-Naa, Yakubu Abdulai Andani, have expressed their readiness and preparedness to hold the funeral of the late Yaa-Naa Yakubu Andani II, which begins tomorrow January 4.

The Vo-Naa, Mahamadu Bawa, conveyed this message on behalf of the Andani Royal family to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

At a short ceremony at the Jubilee House, the Vo-Naa, who is Chairman of the Funeral Committee, said the final funeral rites of Yaa-Naa Mahamudu Abdulai, which ended on December 27 last year, has paved the way for the Andani Royal Family to perform the funeral rites of Ya-Na Yakubu Andani from tomorrow to January 18.

He thanked President Akufo-Addo for helping to ensure "a united Dagbon", and invited the President to the final funeral rites of Yaa-Na Yakubu.

Vo-Naa Mahamadu Bawa appealed to the government to continue to investigate the murder of Yaa-Naa Yakubu Andani II to give closure to the matter.

The children of the late Yaa-Naa Yakubu Andani also reiterated their commitment to the success of the Dagbon peace process.

On his part, President Akufo-Addo expressed 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".

The President was pleased with the peaceful progress towards the funerals of Naa Mahamadu Abdulai and Naa Yakubu Andani II.

The compromises made along the way by the Abudu and Andani Royal families, President Akufo-Addo said, were 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".

"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 said.

President Akufo-Addo assured the Andani Family that the events that led to the death of Yaa-Naa Yakubu Andani would be thoroughly investigated.

"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," he said.

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 Yaa-Naa duly installed, who can bring all of Dagbon together, again, to become one of the most important traditional areas in our country," he said.

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