The Dagbon chieftaincy conflict in Northern Ghana: analyzing the role of the Committee of Eminent Chiefs to the restoration of peace in Dagbon.

Abstract

This study focuses on the Dagbon chieftaincy succession dispute between the Andani and the Abudu royal gates in the Northern Region of Ghana. The chieftaincy succession dispute between these two royal gates has existed since 1953. After what appeared to be unchecked rivalry even before Ghana attained political independence, the conflict festered and saw the murder of the overlord King of Dagbon Ya Na Yakubu Andani II in 2002. In the past, state efforts at resolving the conflict through mechanisms like commissions and committees of inquiry, joint police-military intervention, and even seeking the Supreme courts intervention have failed to find a solution to the Dagbon chieftaincy conflict. In 2003, the government established a Committee of Eminent Chiefs to use Dagbon customs and traditions to resolve the chieftaincy conflict between the Andani and the Abudu royal factions after the murder of the overlord King of Dagbon Ya Na Yakubu Andani II. The work of the committee culminated in a road map to peace known as Peace agreement I between the Andani and Abudu royal gate’s representatives in 2006. The provisions in the Peace agreement I were not fully accepted by the two royal gates and resulted in a deadlock in the conflict. In 2018, the committee resumed talks with the representatives of the royal gates to find a solution to the conflict. The Dagbon chieftaincy conflict between the two royal gates was recently resolved by the Committee of Eminent Chiefs through Peace agreement II which was accepted by the royal gates. This study investigates the role of the Committee of Eminent Chiefs in resolving the Dagbon chieftaincy conflict in the Northern Region of Ghana. Drawing on the telephone call interviews conducted with my research participants and the representatives of the Andani and Abudu royal gates who were directly involved in the Peace agreement II, this thesis discusses the strategy employed by the Committee of Eminent Chiefs to resolve the Dagbon chieftaincy conflict. The study revealed that the Committee of Eminent Chiefs employed the mediation strategy to resolve the Dagbon chieftaincy conflict between the Andani and the Abudu royal gates. My thesis also examines the factors that accounted for Peace agreement II and how Peace agreement II has transformed the Dagbon chieftaincy conflict. The study also revealed that willingness to compromise to reach an agreement and the assurances given to the two royal gates that their goals would be achieved were the factors that accounted for Peace agreement II.