| President Wavel Ramkalawan, accompanied by First Lady Mrs. Linda Ramkalawan, welcomed Ms. Zuriel Oduwole to State House yesterday morning for a courtesy visit.
Ms. Oduwole, 22, co-founder of the Dususu Foundation, is a globally recognized advocate for peace, youth empowerment, education, and gender equality. She was recently nominated for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. Her visit to Seychelles follows an invitation extended by President Ramkalawan in September last year, aimed at inspiring and empowering young Seychellois. As part of her mission, Ms. Oduwole, accompanied by her sister, Ms. Aziliah Oduwole, and their father, conducted a filmmaking workshop attended by approximately 50 young Seychellois participants. President Ramkalawan expressed his appreciation for Ms. Oduwole’s efforts and commended her initiative to uplift and empower the youth. In response, Ms. Oduwole thanked the President for his warm invitation and shared insights from her engagement with Seychellois youth, emphasizing their potential to create a meaningful impact both locally and globally. Speaking to the press, Ms. Oduwole praised the ambition and promise of young Seychellois and also expressed her appreciation for the local cuisine. Reflecting on her Nobel Prize nomination, she described it as an unexpected honor for both herself and her family. “It’s important to understand that each of us has a voice. What we choose to do with that voice is our gift to the world,” she remarked, encouraging young people to embrace bold ambitions. “It is important to dream—dream big dreams, dream scary dreams that impact not only your life or your family but also your community and the entire world.” Also present at the meeting were the Minister for Youth, Sport and Family, Mrs. Marie-Celine Zialor, CEO of the Seychelles National Youth Council, Mr. Albert Duncan, and CEO of the National Arts Council, Mr. Jimmy Savy. SOURCE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT |
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Category: Peace
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Young Advocate and Nobel Prize Nominee Zuriel Oduwole Meets President Ramkalawan
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Kulkpiniduli market Establishment Issue brought to rest
Story: Abdul Razak Mohammed
The reported near stand-off between Dagomba and Konkomba youth group opponents and proponents to the planned establishment of a new market on the 23rd August at Kulkpiniduli in the Yendi Municipality and Mion District in Ghana’s Northern Region, has been brought to rest as the Dagbon Traditional Council(DTC) intervened and stamped its authority on the matter.
This yet another undesirable development nearly took the shine out of a pragmatic Dagomba-Konkomba peace restoration, building and conservation initiative pursued following the 6th August,2024 community violence at Zobgei, also in the Yendi Municipality and Mion District.
Both communities are found in Mion and traditionally under His Royal Highness, the Mion-Lana (Mion Paramount Chief),
In a ban notification letter by the Dagbon Traditional Council, dated 23rd August,2024, and addressed to the Chairman of the Yendi Municipal Security Council, the King of the Dagbon Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, ndan Yaa-Naa Abukari II, directed the announcement of a ban on the establishment of the Kulkpeniduli Market and any other place within the Mon Traditional area until further notice.
It also disclosed that the establishment of the Kulkpeniduli market was being pursued without the knowledge of the traditional authorities of both Mion and Gbewaa Palace.
‘Justification’ for Kulkpiniduli Market Establishment
The establishment of the Kulkpiniduli market the notice disclosed, was based on fears that Konkombas would be attacked by Dagombas, at the Sambu market, at Mion.
Independent investigations it added, conducted by the Dagbon Traditional Council(DTC) however, established for a fact that, Konkomba traders who patronized the Sambu market on Friday,23rd August,2024 did so without any confrontation with any one or group of persons.
His Royal Majesty, also further directed that; security be provided on Sambu market days for all traders irrespective of their ethnic identity.
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Averting Inter-Ethnic War in Dagbon,Northern Ghana
Your Royal Highnesses;
Naa Bakpema Kari-Naa Abdulai Natogmah
Naa Bapira Demon Naa Alhassan
Naa Bapira Zangbalin-Naa
Naa Yeba Ngan-dana
Naa Bapira Gbungbali-Naa
Saboba Naa Ubor Bowan John Sakojim IV
Waapuli Naa
Naalongni Naa Ubor Biniyam Collins IV
Garimata Naa
Nkpegu Naa Kunji Tamanja
Kumakeek Naa Tangmee Majoriba
The Security
Elders, Chiefs and People of Mion Traditional Area
MediaLadies and gentlemen:
It is for peace that Your Royal Highnesses have paid a royal visit to me, my elders and the good people of Mion Traditional Area. Your visit isarightstep that traditional rulers must take to break the boundaries of our comfort and tradition to chart a path towards PEACE which is the most cherished need for our everyday normal functioning as a people.I am delighted that this step would speed up the clarion call for PEACE by the Yendi Peace Center, the REGSEC of Northern Region and the peoplewithinand without the Mion traditional enclave.Your Royal Highnesses, I understand you have paid a visit to our King and Overlord, N’dan Ya-Naa, from whom we all draw our powers and authority. I am sure we all agree that we would not allow anybody to disrespect the authority and reverence of our King and Lion of Dagbon.
It is inlight of this that we as Divisional and Sub-Divisional Chiefs of Dagbon expect our people within our traditional jurisdictions to respect the authority of the Skins we occupy.
Anybody, or group of people, be they Dagombas, Konkombas, Basaris, Chekosis, Fulanis etc who grossly display any act of insubordination to any of us aa Divisional and Sub-Divisional Chiefs are doing so to the King of Dagbon and we must rise up against such development.
Your Royal Highnesses, permit me to explain to you the recent incident which nearly escalated into an inter-ethnic conflict.
We all know Mion traditional jurisdiction stretches from the west bank of Kulkpini River through Kulkpini- Duli and Zogbei all the way to other settlements dotted over the area. As allodial Landowner for and on behalf of His MajestytheYa-Naa, I allocated a parcel of land for development at Zogbei. The developer was on site on Tuesday 6th August 2024.
A group of youth whose population was several folds more than the total population of residents of Zogbei massed up to stop the developer from grading works on the allocated parcel of land. The population, I am told, were marshalled from nearby communities with the sole aim of fomenting trouble. I invited them and the Zogbei Residents to my palace to understand their concerns but the invitations were turned down.
On the third occasion of invitation, the youth had issue a word for me that I should contact theMionKonkomba Chief who happens to be a sub-chief of my palace.
When I invited the Mion Konkomba Chief to my Palace, his word was to the effect that neither him nor the Zogbei residents has any claim over that parcel of land and that those youth were only trying to “knock the head of some Konkombas and Dagombas”. This situation proved to me that this youth who wielded guns and machetes were nothing but rabble rousers with the sole aim of disrespecting not only my authority but that of my father, the King and Overlord of Dagbon.
Even if they had any concerns, their refusal tomy invitations predisposed them as miscreants who should not be tolerated in any traditional area. Even if there were crops on thesaidland, the farmer could have demanded compensation and this would have been paid to them as we usually do.
Upon my instruction to ensure that the grading work by the allottee is carried through, my palace guard swent to ensure the grading work goes through. It was in the process the marauded youth who had laid ambush in the distant bushes began targeting gunshots at my palace guards. My guards had the only option of retaliate in inequal or more measure to defend the grader and the operator.
It is this altercation which has led to casualties. The intervention of the Yendi Police Division, the REGSEC, the Yendi Peace Center as well as the Overlord of Dagbon has been so timely that this Zogbei incident did not escalate into a Konkomba-Dagomba inter-ethnic clashes.
I have since co-operated with these stakeholders because I do not fathom a situation where Dagombas and Konkombas could gointoawarsituation over petty issues such as what happened at Zogbei.
Your Royal Highnesses, permit me to narrate to you how Zogbei became a settlement. When late Mion-Lana Ziblim was on the skin, a Konkomba elder by name Sallah was chased out from Bachaboriya because he was believed to be a wizard in that village. Sallah came to late Mion-lana Ziblim to appeal to him to settle at the current place known as Zogbei. This then was uninhabited farmlands belonging to some Dagombas from Mion and Yendi.
lana. This bellicose attempt by these elites to radicalize some youthtoriseup against authorities are felt not only in the Mion area but other palaces. Ibelieve no traditional ruler would countenance a situation wherethehelperwould turn and be at the mercy of such radicalized youth. We needtofindlasting solution to the radicalization of the youth even in placeswherepeople can longer go to their farmlands. There is no doubt that this Zogbei incident had a potential of escalatinginto an inter-ethnic war situation.
Thankfully, Konkombas in Yendi, Tamale, Zabzugu, Gusheigu and many other places have not been targetedbyDagombas. This emphasizes the point that this is an isolated case between some Konkomba youth and me in the Mion area. I understand some Konkombas elsewhere are destroying people’s farms. Caution should be made to them to stop this with immediate effect.
I I wish to emphasize the point that i am fully committed to the PEACE we are all yearning for. I will do everything possible to work hand in hand with the major stakeholders including Your Royal Highnesses. The REGSEC, theYendi Peace Center with DAYA, KOYA and DF among other stakeholders have visited me to work hand-in-hand with us to ensure normalcy is restored.I believe one life lost is as though the whole of humanity is lost.
I will make sure all people in my traditional area live together in PEACE and go about their farming activities without hindrance. While we pray for PEACE, we must pray that the rains which have stopped for about a month ago returns.
Thank you.
Editor’s Note: Published Unedited
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Dagomba-Konkonba Peaceful Co-Existence Spans 300 Years
Story: Abdul Razak Mohammed
His Royal Majesty, ndan,Ya Naa Abukari I, the King of Dagbon (Dagomba Kingdom), Northern region of Ghana, says Dagombas and Konkombas have an age-long good neighborliness, mutual respect and peaceful co-existence track record.
This, he noted, spans a period of three hundred years until sadly and from nowhere, bad blood crept into their midst since the 1990s resulting into the first ever Dagbamba-Konkomba armed conflict.
His Royal Majesty said humans as they are, cannot once a while, escape misunderstandings and conflicts and should they happen to encounter such, it takes cool and level headedness employing dialogue not use of arms, in other to find a resolution and restore peace once again.
He therefore advised more interactions, and networking between Dagbamba and their Konkonba brethren in their efforts to repair the damages and reactivate the age-old peaceful co-existence they had once enjoined for centuries. Exposing of trouble mongers and enemies of peace from both sides for the law to take its course would also be prudent under the given circumstances he added.
Dagbon’s King, also reminded the security authorities about his previous call on them to arrest and prosecute youth using social media to make posts content of which is intended to offend other ethnic groups, beat false war drums, create fear and panic and to heighten ethnic tension.
Dagbamba and Konkonbas he noted, were one people, eat same food have similar cultural norms and values and should therefore build upon that to ensure sustainable peaceful co-existence between the two ethnic groups.
The Ya Naa was speaking during the visit of a Konkonba-Dagomba peace delegation to the Gbewaa Royal Palace in Yendi the seat of Dagbon Kingship on Saturday.
The delegation comprised members of Saboba, Wapuli and other Konkonba communities headed by His Royal Highness, the Paramount Chief of Saboba in the company of other Dagomba Paramount chiefs. The visit was as the byproduct of mutual consultation between the Konkonba side led by Saboba Paramount Chief,Saboba Naa Ubor Bowan John Sakojim IV.
and the Dagomba side the Paramount Chief of Karaga,Naa Bakpema Kari-Naa Abdulai Natogmah
His Royal Majesty appreciated the Paramount Chief of Saboba for the affirmative action that sought to nib in the bud the Zogbie menace which he said claimed seven lives, so it doesn’t escalate into another Dagbamba-Konkonba war.
Touching on the issue of land the source of the Zogbie incident, His Royal Majesty didn’t mince words in saying that by the laws of the country he as King of Dagbon is the custodian of all lands in Dagbon which he holds by trust on behalf of the people of Dagbon.
This, he said, had been categorically stated in the 1996 Kumasi Peace Accord signed between Dagombas and Konkombas after the most unfortunate first ever armed conflict between the two age-old neighbours.
The various paramount chiefs are responsible for the oversight responsibility of lands under their various jurisdictions.
His Royal Highness, Na Yeb Kug Na on his part, said that if a Dagomba and a Konkonba picks up a quarrel it should be treated as a quarrel between one Dagomba individual and another one Konkonba individual but not to be taken as a fight between the two tribes such that members from one tribe would just simply pick up guns and start killing each other leading to an inter-ethnic war as has become the sad practice today.
Dagombas and Konkombas he intimated, were like the twin halves of one splitted calabash in other words they are one and the same people
His Royal Highness also observed that land acquisition in Dagbon had laid down procedure which those interested in acquiring and utilizing land for any purpose, had to follow like all others do. Land acquisition through guns and spears are no more acceptable in this modern era.
The District Chief Executive(DCE) of Yendi, Hon Abubakar who represented government said President Nana Akufo Addo’s government was following the peace efforts with keen interest the efforts being made towards addressing the Zogbie incident.
The President he says also appreciates the peace efforts being pursued by His Royal Majesty,ndan Yaa Naa Abukari I,since his coronation up till date.
Hon Abubakar said President Nana Addo says he takes cognizance of the fact that, His Royal Majesty’s peace efforts is not limited to Dagbon alone,but it extends as far as Nanum and Kpandai.
The President,Hon Abubakar assed,also highly appreciates His Royal Highness,the Paramount Chief of Saboba for his untiring and selfless efforts to ensure that the Zogbie incident doesn’t escalate into another inter-ethnic war.
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Editor’s Pick
At this most crucial moment in Ghana’s development history, it is disheartening to hear of incidents like the recent Zogbie one that has led to the loss of precious lives.
The various ethnic groups in the Northern region should consider the fact that, they are never real enemies against each other but rather, poverty, squalor and under development is their real common enemy they need to confront together in their own interest.
We of the Economic and Environmental News Africa magazine, therefore wish to implore the youth in the northern region in particular to rather give priority to using their youthful exuberance in promoting and building peaceful co-existence and harmony between the various ethnic groups for their collective well-being.
We implore Dagomba and Konkomba youth to rather strive towards being agents of change and sustainable development not agents of needless acrimony,hatred and war.
Dagomba and Konkombas are age-long historical neighbours and relations were based on mutual respect,paceful co-existence which also resulted into intermarriages.The mother of the late Ya Naa Yakubu i(1799–1839) whose two sons,Na Abudu and Na Andani founded the current Abudu and Andani royal gates,elders say was a konkomba. Thus,the age-long accolade of honour, bestowed on Konkombas in Dagbon traditional governance circles as ,”Na Mayili Nima” transalated,the King’s mother’s people.
Not only Dagombas alone resist German Colonial rule that reached its crescendo at the famous battle of Adiboo,but some Konkombas communities too were repotted to have did same in their perhaps taking a cue from their historical neigbours,the Dagombas.
The Eco-Enviro News Africa magazine focused on the progress and sustainable development of Africa and humanity at large,wish to implore Dagomba and Konkomba youth to rather focus on Issues of the region’s development challenges including climate change impact on agriculture, biodiversity loss. the idea of Dagombas are enemies to Konkombas is an aberration and has no anthropological basis.
Dagombas and Konkombas ought to Leverage each others core competencies of each other draw upon their collective strength so as to enable them make more meaningful contribution towards various central government’s efforts aimed at uplifting their socio-economic lives that would also narrow down and eventually close the age-long colonial legacy,the North-South development gap.
The North’s Share of FDI
Due to the relatively higher infrastructure the southern part of the country enjoys over the North, a greater chunk of Foreign Direct Investment(FDI) remain in the south while a negligible amount goes up North. Series of Periodic ethnic conflicts like the recent one under discussion,cumulatively given the Northern sector a bad name in both local and international investor circles.
The North’s Unique Selling Points
The five Northern regions of the country put together are blessed with an enormous primary agriculture and agribusiness,tourism,mineral deposits potential potential that could be harnessed not only for improving the socio-economic lives of their people, but to the benefit of the country’s gross national economy.
A national agriculture policy framework that could target the five northern regions leveraging both rain-fed and irrigation fed farming in the regions, could effectively help in addressing Ghana’s disturbing annual multi-billion rice and general agricultural products import bill.
No wonder the African Development Bank’s President Adesina during an official visit to Ghana in 2017, had cause to candidly state that, with the northern sector’s arable land potential of 7 million hectares suitable for rice cultivation, Ghana has no business importing rice.
Down the Memory Lane
In the early to mid-seventies, these regions collectively were said to have been contributing to over seventy percent of Ghana’s agriculture GDP. Thus, it was bestowed the accolade, the ‘Granary of the nation”.
Indeed, they together, constituted the heartbeat of the late General Acheampong-led Supreme Military Council’s Green Revolution that was at the time known as, “Operation Feed Your Self’(OFY) with the catch phrase,” O biara ndo” in local Twi, translated as, “All must farm”
Agricultural production and productivity was at its zenith under the programme to the extent that, Ghana attained food self-sufficiency and exported her surplus rice and maize to other African countries.
Dagombas and Konkombas must learn to at all times adopt dialogue in the resolution of their differences human that they are, and not through physical confrontation.
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Treat Zogbie’s Incident as Localized and Isolated
Story: Abddul Razak Mohammed
His Royal Highness, Ubor Bowan John Mateer Sakojim IV, The Paramount Chief for Saboba Traditional Area, has called for peace to prevail in Zogbie, Mion District, Northern Region of Ghana following the resent reported eruption of violence in the said community.
He has also called on all Dagombas and Konkonbas to at this difficult times, treat the most unfortunate incident as localized and isolated and never as war between the two ethnic groups.
“It is with deep regret that I, Ubor Bowan John Mateer Sakojim IV, Paramount Chief of the Saboba Traditional Area, address the recent clashes between Dagombas and Konkombas in the farming community of Zogbie, in the Mion District of the Northern Region of Ghana.
“These clashes, which took place on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, over a parcel of land, have unfortunately led to the loss of precious human lives.
“It is crucial that the youth refrain from making inflammatory comments that have the potential to escalate the situation. Furthermore, I urge everyone to refrain from posting falsehoods and unverified information on social media, as these actions can only serve to worsen the conflict.
‘Adherence to the rule of law is essential during these trying times. The Northern Region requires a peaceful and stable environment to foster development. I implore the security services detailed to restore peace to act with firmness and fairness towards all individuals involved.
“A thorough investigation must be conducted to bring the perpetrators of these acts to justice. I also call upon the chiefs and opinion leaders within the affected areas to take active steps to initiate dialogue between the feuding factions.
“Open communication and understanding are key to achieving lasting peace in our communities. Dagombas and Konkombas must not view each other as enemies. Instead, we must unite to combat our common adversaries: poverty and underdevelopment. By working together, we can build a better future for our people”
These were contained in a Press Release issued at the Palace of the Paramount Chief in Saboba,Thursday.
In its 0fficial statement issued and signed by its Director of Communications earlier in Tamale, Wednesday, the Dagbon Youth Association (DAYA) on its part had also observed with sadness, a rising tension in the Mion Traditional Area.
“We understand the tensions are due to a land dispute between Konkombas and Mion Palace. This has fast become a Konkomba-Dagomba issue according to social media commentators.
“Unconfirmed report, the statement noted, has it that this has resulted in loss of lives and injuries from both Konkombas and Dagombas. There has however been a deployment of heavy security from REGSEC to contain the situation.
“DAYA wishes to urge everyone living around the area as well as travelers along Sang-Yendi stretch of the Tamale-Yendi Road to be circumspect but remain calm and cooperate with the security personnel.
“We also wish to caution social media commentators to avoid discussing the issue and calling for social media war between Dagombas and Konkombas” the statement added.