The decision by Musah Mahamadu, a supposed chief from the Tampulma ethnic group to create a new paramouncy in the Wasipe Traditional Area in the North Gonja District of the Northern Region has resulted in high tension in the area, with some of the people beating war drums over the issue.
The Tampulma people, believed to be settlers in Wasipe and the royal Wasipe people led by the Paramount Chief of Wasipe Traditional Area, Wasipe-wura Anyami Kabasageya I are at each other’s throat over the issue.
Musah Mahamadu is now carrying himself as Kadichari-tina Musah Mahamadu II, a chieftaincy titled, which reportedly has no historic backing in the Gonjaland.
At Press Conference held in the Royal Palace of the Paramount Chief of Wasipe Traditional Area, the Chief and Elders of Wasipe, backed by the angry youth, sent a strong warning to Musah Mahamadu and his followers to stop causing tension and violence in the Wasipe area.
The Wasipe Chief, flanked by several of his sub-chiefs, including Gabasiwura Iddrisu Jakpa, Danbol Kakore Yazeriwura, Kunkoriwura Ewuntoma Kotoma and Nbonwura Akati Dramani, in a statement read for him by the Secretary of the Wasipe Traditional Council, HarunaMuazu, said emphatically that the said Musah Mahamadu is not and does qualify to be a leader of the Tampulma ethnic group of North Gonja District.
The Wasipewura said that the Tampulmas at the moment did not have chiefs at the traditional level, and that there was no way they could have a paramount chief and also claim autonomy right.
“Before one can become a paramount chief, he must have a number of sub chiefs and a recognized area under his jurisdiction.
“In the case of the Tampulmas who are requesting for recognition and hence paramountcy, reference, Musah Mahamadu, where is his land and how many gates or divisions ascend to this paramountcy that he is claiming?” he asked.
The Wasipewura indicated that, if there should even be a consideration, including Tampulma elders in the Gonja traditional council, it could not be Musah Mahamadu because he is not a chief, let alone a paramount chief.
On the day of the press conference in Daboya, some unidentified group alleged to be members of the Tampulma ethnic group ambushed and assaulted two chiefs and their elders who were invited by the Wasipewura to his palace for the meeting.
This angered the youth of Daboya, the capital seat of Wasipe traditional area to launch a reprisal attack on the Tempulmas, but the District Chief Executive for North Gonja acted swiftly by deploying some security personnel to intervene.
Meanwhile, the Tampulmas in an earlier Press Conference in Tamale addressed by one Amadu Latif, threatened Court actions against the Gonja Traditional Council, chaired by the YagbonwuraTuntumba Boresa for failing to recognize the Tampulmas as citizens of Gonjaland.
According to Amadu Latif, who served as the group’s Spokesperson, there would be a street protest ahead of the court action to back their demand for recognition.
He said that the Tampulmas had been overly marginalized due to the Yagbonwura’s failure to approve Kadichari-tina Musah Mahamadu II as a Paramount Chief.
“Tampulma as an ethnic group requires identity as a sovereign ethnic group just as any other ethnic group in Ghana and not as an extension or part of any other ethnic group, a feat that can only be achieved under a recognized paramount chief”.
However, the Wasipe youth who were fuming with rage over the attack purportedly launched on some of their chiefs by the Tampulma youth, gave a week ultimatum to the government to bring Musah Mahamadu and his people to order or be prepared for any consequences.
They vowed to launch a serious attack on the Tampulmas if they continue to disturb the peace in the Wasipe Traditional Area.
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