Mr Chairman, Special Guest of Honour, Nanaana, guest, fellow
tribesmen, political leaders, ladies and gentlemen, all protocol observed.
I warmly welcome you all to Lonto, the homeland of Nchumurus tribesmen.
It is a great privilege to be in service as The President of the National Association of Nchumurus (NAN) which comes with enormous responsibility not only on me but collectively on the executive-led body put in office through the medium of participatory democracy with Nchumuru clannish agenda devoid of factionalism. As part of Guan aborigines,
Nchumurus are found in their native homelands In Northern, Oti, and Bono
East regions of Ghana and closely knitted not just in dialects with common ancestral nexus but in profound cultural heritage, customs, and traditions.
This year’s theme, dubbed; “Strengthening Our Culture & Education for Accelerated Development; -The Role of Nchumurus chiefs & Elders” has been carefully chosen based on exigencies of times, prevailing situations, dwindling harmony in synergy among traditional leaders with remote and somewhat immediate factors, ranging from sound to petty reasons, instigated by devilish entrepreneurs, diversionist and imperialists with morbid interests are all not unsurmountable.
This sad turn, unconsciously, leads to falling standards in education especially at basic and secondary levels in our communities with costly effects particularly alleviation, growth has been building since based on cohesion and momentum required to seem relegated.
Changing the status quo to a better narrative, as it then was when major milestones were chalked shall remain our preoccupation. On this, I dare say that we are relentless, Aluta continua, Victoria Ascertain.
Mr Chairman, Special Guest of Honour, Nanaana, guests, fellow tribesmen, all protocols observed. At this juncture, I feel obliged to urge you all humility, to let us observe a minute of silence in memory of departed founding members of the Association for their brazen conception in 1956 which include Joseph Kofi Kapi, Ogyigyator Donkor, David Nseasunkpa, and Kumah Asiamah and a yeoman commendation and prayer to the only surviving founding member and first Secret Hat of the Association continuous to offer us unfailing guidance when called upon, Nana Obrimpong Kanya II, President of Nchumuru Traditional Council, Bejamse.
Current leadership and members have no reason to stray than to keep the ideals of our founding members which include members of unity in progress, education advancement, remapping of Nchumurus in distinct districts and one region among other things emancipate ourselves as non-subservient to others as independent tribesmen, also capable of managing our affairs with unique identity tags and cultural heritage. Since leadership is an accountable service, it is legitimate to expect a recount of what NAN under my leadership with the unfailing support of my executives has been able to achieve. The Association though founded in 1956 by the intelligentsia of young Nchumurus under the leadership of Hon Joseph Kofi Kapi as the Nchumuru Youth Association(NYA), was sadly not incorporated as a non-profit body despite the ambition of its founding fathers. Today the Association under my executive leadership has undertaken major consultative reforms including the formation of the constitutional development committee under the Chairmanship of Bonaventure Anane-Quebah with Napoleon Brukum as the Secretary.
The 9-member constitutional development committee birthed a constitution that has since been promulgated and in force, among other things rechristened our name from Nchumuru Youth Association (NYA) to National Nchumurus Association (NAN).
The intent is wider membership and culminated into incorporation as a registered entity with legal personality and perpetual succession consistent with the laws of Ghana, with an operational bank account, offered a paradigm shift in orientation and development agenda. This feat was collectively achieved to fit in the comity of rules where Associations are to conform to warrant legitimacy.
In accountable governance, in a consultative and supportive approach, the Association has kept faith with our traditional leaders and political figures in the three regions' matters of political governance and emancipation.
Mention can be made of its keen involvement in the Joint Consultative committee activities that spearheaded the creation of the Oti Region and particularly the zeal shown in supporting Nanaana who led the agitation and lobbying in 2019 to get Dambai as the Oti Regional capital after a lengthy, hectic and costly lobbying process of bidding for the capital.
The will to have Kpandai carved out of the present northern region into Oti was championed by the Association in collaboration with our chiefs in joint efforts with Nawuris, upon a petition. Sadly, the Justice S.A. Brobbey-led Presidential Commission rejected the inclusion of Kpandai in Oti in its 2018 report, citing the lack of absence of substantial demands and its reasons contained under section 5.6 subsection 137 of the commission’s report.
This role of the Association was a replay of the cognate role in 2004 and also in 2012 when our traditional leaders rose in unison and made substantial demands for the creation of Krachi East Municipal and Krachi Nchumuru District Assemblies with Dambai and Chinderi respectively as their capitals even though many are unenthused about their naming and measures are being taken to rename them to reflect our will and identity.
It is instructive to appreciate that Nanaana of Nanjiro called on the Association towards the grant of paramountcy status and this was made ease based on the stool’s identification in various Legislative Instruments (LIs) though worded under Kpembe and measures are advanced by Nanaana of Nanjiroand the Association in conjunction With Savanna Regional House of Chiefs to get Nanjiro Traditional Council inaugurated sooner than later. This was after the Association had lent a similar support role upon invitation to get the Nchumuru Traditional.
The council at Bejamse was restored which like that of Nanjiro, has its historical antecedents rooted in past Legislative Instruments. The Association believes in equity and based on that would encourage Nanaana to consolidate and support gains made while chatting new avenues for expansion in development with all clans on board devoid of rancor.
Based on the concluding part of the above paragraph, the association undertook an initiative to pay a courtesy call to Nchumuru chiefs especially in Oti Region to pave the way for a unity framework in harmony among our tribesmen. As an essential prerequisite for peace and development, the Association engaged stakeholders, and security agencies to arrest and prosecute the killers of Nana Mebo and two others by some lawless Konkomba settlers at Borai Ahenfie about a land dispute over which the late Chief had jurisdiction upheld by a court of law. The Association in collaboration with theNchumuru Traditional Council had to urgently address the media about the gruesome murder with a clarion call on Ghana Police to take drastic but legally permissible measures to apprehend murderers. The leadership of Konkomba Youth Association(KOYA)whose lawless kinsmen committed the crime of murder extended overtures to us upon showing condolence and assured us of fuller cooperation to bring their kinsmen to the book as their act is purely criminal.
The criminals have been arrested and currently standing trial in court at Dambai with case title; The Republic vs. David Tinokpa & 14 Others.
The Association deemed it fit to prioritize development communication, create a sense of pride in Nchumuru identity, and urge members to use the Nchumuru dialect as a medium of communication, especially with younger children and among adults. This sensitization drive requires the cooperation of all as it is a major cause of worry for all of us especially our chiefs whose subjects outside homelands struggle to speak in their native dialect and struggle to assimilate when they pay homage to them in their palaces.
This embarrassing trend must be curbed as literacy in native dialect represents pride, and identity and readily connects us with ease as fellow tribesmen, regardless of one’s level of education, stature, and other accomplishments. English and Twi are not ours, we belong to what is ours!
All and sundry must accept this noble call as our micro project. In operating as a going concern, The Association with the decentralized mandate, a parcel of land earmarked for office accommodation has been released by our chiefs, particularly Nana Kwaku Beyenor, Dambai chief, and a building plan. Funding which is a major challenge is affecting the operations of the Association since there is no regular cash inflow.
Membership dues or community levy with prior approval of our chiefs as custodians of lands and people’s shepherds would be required and funds accrued thereof would be put to judicious use with recourse to sound financial management practices to be evident to donors and members.
As priority areas, the Association is determined to unify our chiefs with a sense of purpose based on consensus and established structures with an urge to codify the same as the source of reference acceptable as binding.
We intend to do this with all stakeholders on board in a dispassionate manner devoid of complicity of fear or favor with recourse to our historical struggle and determination to be dynamic to accommodate acceptable developments.
This is necessary for achieving our long-cherished unity while on the side, the Association would be engaging the leadership of Gonja land Youth Association, Karachi Youth Association, and others and their respective traditional leaders on matters of mutual interest and peaceful coexistence in harmony devoid of intimidation and undermining.
As part of socio-economic development and empowerment, the Association intends to regroup our artisans and craftsmen to lend support of capacity building in apprenticeship to our young and determined youth to equip them with employable skills. At the same time, the Association intends to have a business development unit with the responsibility of identifying investment portfolios with reasonable returns but less risky with the intent of building a fund base to support brilliant but needy students especially at tertiary levels, with the cooperative economic radiation leaders.
This quest The association is inherent with an urge on our kinsmen to be politically active and involved in mainstream politicking of NDC and NPP activism it is the best way to be recognized with political appointments as one of the surest ways of precipitating socioeconomic and infrastructure development in communities in our modern democracy.
As the famous Nigerian writer, Chin Ache Bebe stated in his novel ‘Things Fall Apart’ stated that; a man who calls his kinsmen to a feast does not do so to save them from starving. They all have food in their own home. When the weather together in the moonlit village ground it is not because of the moon. Every man can see it in his pound. We come together because it's good for kinsmen to do so.’ We periodically ways verge in the spirit of oneness as tribesmen, regardless of seeming differences to reflect, rebuild, and patch up in solidarity and good faith Achebeg ourselves, not only to meet and eulogize and mourn fellow tribesmen at funerals or the befallen of any other calamity. We should deliberate and feast with love and strive to live above individualistic concerns for our own sake.
Mr Chairman, Special Guest of Honour, Nanaana, invest, fellow tribesmen, political leaders, ladies and gentlemen, all protocol observed, I welcome you all to Lonto the land of Nchumurus, it is a privilege to honor our invitation with your presence in solidarity with us. On behalf of myself and able executives and our traditional, we are grateful to you and all other tribal associations present in solidarity with our course.
…SINGNED…
Mr. Abraham Kwame Amoah,
President, National Association of Nchumurus.
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