Mamprugu Overlord rejects Otumfuo’s Bawku mediation report, calls process flawed

The Overlord of the Mamprugu Traditional Area, the Nayiri Naa Bohugu Mahami Abdulai Sheriga, has formally and unequivocally rejected a chieftaincy mediation report presented by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, describing it as a “procedurally flawed” and “unilaterally imposed” document.

In a strongly-worded three-page statement dated Wednesday, December 17, 2025, and released by the Mamprugu Traditional Council, the Nayiri distanced himself and his people from the report, which contained recommendations on the protracted Bawku chieftaincy dispute presented to President John Dramani Mahama a day earlier.

The Nayiri stated that the so-called report does not reflect his engagements with the mediator and accused the process of abandoning the principles of mediation for adjudication.

“I must state clearly and without reservation that the so-called report and recommendations do not reflect my engagements with Otumfuo, nor those of my duly constituted mediation team,” the Nayiri declared.

He outlined multiple reasons for the rejection, chief among them being that the mediator, who he said expressly described his role as that of a mediator and not an arbitrator, purported to “pass judgment and to prescribe measures for enforcement.” He argued this was inconsistent with the nature of mediation.

The Nayiri also revealed that no formal Terms of Reference were provided for the process, despite requests from his team. He expressed profound disappointment that the parties were not allowed to comment on or respond to the conclusions before they were presented as a final report.

“To say that I feel betrayed, disappointed, and deeply hurt would be a grave understatement,” he wrote, alleging that the report was “replete with factual inaccuracies” and displayed a “manifest imbalance” favouring one side’s narrative while omitting Mamprugu’s case.

The Overlord specifically denied a claim in the report that he agreed to the continued recognition of Aninchema as Bawku Naba, calling it “entirely false.”

He expressed alarm at reports that President Mahama intended to issue a definitive government position within 24 hours based on the document.

“Such an approach, respectfully, will not advance the peace we all seek,” the Nayiri stated, urging the President to engage fully with all parties before acting.

Asserting Mamprugu’s stance, the King was emphatic: “Not even an inch of Mamprugu’s ancestral heritage will be ceded to anyone, especially through an unjust and clearly orchestrated process.”

He stressed that the mediation had ended in a “clear DEADLOCK” with no consensus, and any report should have stated this fact under the Alternative Dispute Resolution Act, 2010, rather than presenting final determinations.

The Bawku chieftaincy conflict, a long-standing dispute primarily between the Kusasi and Mamprusi ethnic groups over traditional authority, has been a source of tension and sporadic violence in the Upper East Region for decades.

The Nayiri concluded by reaffirming his commitment to peace but insisted it must be built on justice.

“I remain fully committed to peace, dialogue, and stability in Bawku and the wider Mamprugu area. However, peace must be founded on law, history, fairness, and consent, not on imposed outcomes,” he said.

He promised to engage further with Otumfuo and the Government and issue a more comprehensive statement later.

MyJoyOnline