PRESS RELEASE
NCHUMURU YOUTH ASSOCIATION ACCRA BRANCH ON THE MURDER OF NANA MEBO II OF BORAEAHENFIE AND HIS TWO BROTHERS.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen ofthe Press, we want to warmly welcome you to Nchumuru Youth Association Accra Branch and to thank you for honouring our invitation to cover this press conference. We have been compelled to organise this press conference today to re- echo the call by our Krachie Nhumuru Traditional Council regarding a series of events in recent times that threaten the peace of our area and the security of our people.
These are events that have the potential to retard our progress.On Saturday, the 19th of November, 2022, we received with shock and dismay the brutal murder of Nana Mebo II, the chief of Borae Ahenfie, and two other family members, as well as burning down of his palace and 15 other houses, the looting of his stool, regalia and different types of property belonging to the people of Borae Ahenfie by some Konkomba settlers from Bakando and some accomplices from some other Konkomba communities. We are still in total disbelief that settlers that our forefathers and fathers, out of hospitality and generosity allowed their forefathers and fathers to settle and use our land for agricultural purposes will turn callously against us. Over the years, there had been mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence between our forefathers and their fathers.
Their forefathers and fathers never claimed ownership of any piece of land but remained grateful for the generosity shown them. As a result, this attracted more Konkombas to come over to settle and make a living. However, this current generation of Konkombas have disregarded the mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence that was established by their forebearers with the Nchumurus (custodians of the land) and have begun by both action and in words claimed portions of the land where they settled and farmed as their own customary lands.
What happened on Saturday November 19, 2022 is a clear manifestation of their claim of customary rights to their settlements and farmlands. This is one of the epitomes ofseries of such violent attacks on our people and threats of murder and war by some of our Konkomba settlers in recent times. Until now, we the Nchumuru people have decided to let these conflicts go in the interest of peace. But now, we have reached a critical point, that we think,we ought to make all settlers on our ancestral land know in no uncertain terms that they have no right to any portion of land within all Nchumuru Traditional Area. We want to make it clear that we share no land boundaries with Konkombas.
This is not the first time the Konkombas have visited violence on the Nchumuru people.We'recall the unfortunate incident of 25th March 2014. Residents of Kojoboni, an Nchumuru community in Kpandai district in the northern region were attacked by Konkombas and shot some Nchumuru people at the farm. Two Nchumurus lost their lives. This was as a result of a farmland dispute between a Konkombaman called Bejuuba, and an Nchumuruman called Opaye.
Again, in 2017, one fateful night, it took the timely intervention of the military at Kete Krachi to avert a bloody war declared by the Konkombas on the Nchumuru people at Borae No. 2 over a piece of land allocated for educational purposes.
Furthermore, on 4th May, 2020, there was an attack by the Konkomba settlers at Kornado on One Clement Matorwemasen from BoraeNo. 2 at Zongo Macheri over a piece o f land that Nana Agyagne II, the chief of Zongo Macheri had given to the latter for commercial farming. In this instance,, the Konkomba settlers from Kornado we're claimimg ownership ofthe land.
To recount more, there is an ongoing legal battle between the people of BoraeNo. 2 and the Konkombas at Nandi Akura overl and. The people of Nandi Akura are claimimg that the Stretch of land from Nandi Junction to Dambai Lake side belongs to them.
Even after this murder case, it was reported that a few days ago, some Konkomba youth went to another Nchumuru community called Kumonisi in the Kpandai District and warned them that if their tribesmen arrested in connection of the murder of Nana Mebo II by the security forces are not released, they will come and attack them. This was reported to the police and the DCE of Kpandai. Subsequent to that, in the night, at 10:15 p.m of the following day 20th November 2022. an unknown person came and burnt down one Nchumuru house.
These are just a few instances ofstruggle over land between the indigenous Nchumuru people and their Konkomba settlers. All these are still happening despite a court ruling in 2005 that the Konkombas do not have any land in the Nchumuru and Krachi Traditional Areas.
It is disheartening to mention that in nearly all Nchumuru communities, the Konkomba people have had one or the other clash with the Nchumurus over ownership of land.
Apart from the scramble for land, they are also scrambling for the designation and recognition of their herdsmen as chiefs. In our tradition, a chief is necessarily also a custodian of some ancestral land. This struggle for chiefdom is fueling the struggle for land by force.
There have been instances of court rulings in favor of the Nchumurus as custodians of disputed pieces of land. But the Konkombas often disregarded most of these court rulings. Because firstly, they think they have the ammunitions and power to fight.Secondly they feel and emboldened by the fact that some of their people are in high government positions, and will use their high political positions to defend them so they have nothing to fear. All these have created serious security problems. The brutal killing of the Late Nana Mebo II and some of his subjects on Saturday November 19, 2022 over land ownership shows us now that their intention to use violence to claim ownership of our customary lands is area.
We condemn these acts of violence and use of brute force in no uncertain terms. We plead with the government of Ghana, the National House of Chiefs, the Oti Regional House of Chiefs to come to the aid of the Nchumuru people through their good offices. We also request the Konkomba National
Youth Association to prevail on their people to be law-abiding on Nchumuru lands. Further, we would like to bring to the attention of the Konkombas settled in the Nchumuru Traditional Area that they have no right of ownership to land in areas where they have settled or undertaking farming ventures.
We had hoped in the peaceful co-existence with all our settlers. We know that being at piece with our neighbours demands mutual trust, respect for the rule of law, respect for tradition and traditional law and structures. The events of Saturday, November 19 have shown that these preconditions are not there when it comes to our relationship with some of our Konkomba communities.
Those Konkomba communities who were involved in that brutal act have not just committed an abominable crime but have seriously desecrated the sanctity of our Land and our ancestral tradition. It is a redline that they have crossed. We will ensure that they face the appropriate sanctions and the wrath of the land. It also means that any settler which in the future will refuse to repect the Rule of Law as well as our traditions and traditional structures should face the wrath of the land and laws of the nation.
As for the criminal aspects of the current incident, we leave it in the handfs of the state in charge of the law. But we expect justice. We expect that those who committed this crime will be apprehend and made to face the full the full rogors of the Ghanaian criminal law.
We commend the security Agencis for their prompt response and admirable intervetion that has already ensure calm, security and prevented further loss of lives and ditruction of property. We continue to appeal that thery contitue their good work to enable the people and communities in and around borae Ahenfie to carry out their normal daily economic and social activities
Thank You
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James Kofi Yeboah (0209249158)
Chairman Nchumuru Youth Association Accra Branch
Cc: All Media Houses
Nana Kanya II
Nana kwame Bonja II
Nana Kwadjo benyingni
Nana Chafare II
Nana Omankumente II
All Nchumuru Chiefs
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