3news.com can confirm that intense tension is brewing in Bimbila as the Nakpa family readies to bury the almost four years mortal remains of the late Nakpa-Na Salifu Dawuni in Bimbila township on Thursday, October 12.
This follows an “order” from President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) to prepare the grounds for the long-awaited burial.
The REGSEC had served the President a copy of the letter dated September 25, 2017 from the Nakpa family asking for permission and support to bury the late Na Salifu Dawuni.
The letter intercepted by 3news.com, however, failed to state the place of burial and the title of the late chief, who contested the Bimbila paramountcy with the late Overlord of Nanum, Na Andani Dasana Abdulai, in 2003 when the Bimbila skin became vacant following the death of Na Abarka Attah.
Place of burial and the chieftaincy title have been the bone of contention in the Gbugmayili family of which the late Overlord of Nanum, Na Andani Dasana Abdulai, and his maternal cousin (who relates to the Gbugmayili family maternally) late Nakpa-Na Salifu Dawuni belong.
Family members of the rightful occupants of the Bimbila skin as per rulings by the National House of Chiefs, the Northern Regional House of Chiefs and a Tamale High Court, Na Andani Dasana, have argued traditional customs permit only chiefs who have succeeded the Bimbila paramountcy to be buried in the Gbugmayili Graveyard, a sacred venue for that royal family. Thus they cannot allow the burial of the late Nakpa-Na Salifu to be carried out in the same place when he never succeeded the Bimbila paramountcy.
This is what has resulted in the keeping of the mortal remains of the late chief at the Yendi Municipal Hospital morgue as Nakpa family will not accept it.
However, sources close to the Northern Regional Security Council (REGSEC), the Nanumba-North District Security Council (DISEC ), the Dasana family and Nakpa families confirmed that an agreement has been reached by REGSEC that the late Nakpa-Na Salifu be buried as scheduled but at his private residence and not the Gbugmayili Graveyard.
The agreement is said to have been reached after a series of meetings between REGSEC and the Nakpa-Na family at the blind side of the Dasana family to which the current Regent of Bimbila belongs.
REGSEC is reported to have appealed for some days seeing the originally proposed date would coincide with the visit of the President.
The burial is expected to be done under heavy security and protection from REGSEC.
In an interview with the spokesperson for the Dasana family, Kikaa Osman, they are seeking answers from REGSEC as to why the Regent of Bimbila, who currently oversees the affairs of Nanum, and the Dasana family were not briefed on this sensitive security arrangements.
Again, the Dasana family is asking for a proof of a supposed letter from the President ordering the burial of late Nakpa-Na Salifu Dawuni in Bimbila and the title he is to be buried with as his family has for the past years insisted the Nakpa-Naa Salifu Dawuni be buried with the Bimbila paramountcy title arguing the late Nakpa-Na Salifu Dawuni died a Bimbila Overlord, an entrenched position that has sparked controversy in the past.
3news.com gathers that indeed the late Nakpa-Na Salifu Dawuni is set to be buried with approval from REGSEC as checks have revealed the Defense Minister and the Member of Parliament for the Bimbila Constituency, Dominic Nitiwul, is at the center of the whole engagements.
Again, 3news.com can confirm that the leadership of the New Patriotic Party in the Bimbila Constituency is not happy with development.
They left Bimbila for Accra to meet with the President as they foresee chaos should this interment be allowed.
But they could not meet with the President as Mr Nitiwul assured them that he had everything under control.
Efforts to get a spokesperson for the Nakpa-Na family have proven futile.
Meanwhile, the Dasana family is set to have a press conference in Accra to send a message to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to check the involvement of his Defense Minister Dominic Nitiwul in the chieftaincy affairs of Nanum.
By Zubaida Ismail|3news.com|Ghana