Law recognises Asigri Abugrago Azorka II as the lawful Bawku Naba

Law recognises Asigri Abugrago Azorka II as the lawful Bawku Naba, and the strict enforcement of this legal position remains the most critical step toward restoring lasting peace in Bawku and the wider Kusasi traditional area, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has recommended.

Presenting his mediation report on the protracted Bawku conflict to government officials at the Jubilee House, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II stressed that no chief or traditional authority stands above the Constitution or the decisions of the courts.

He emphasised that the government has a constitutional obligation to uphold laws duly enacted and affirmed by the Supreme Court until they are lawfully reviewed or amended.

The Asantehene’s recommendation follows extensive engagements with key traditional stakeholders, including the Nayiri of Mamprugu, Nayiri-Naa Bohagu Mahami Abdulai Sheriga, the Bawku Naba, and other traditional leaders. These consultations, he explained, formed part of efforts to achieve an amicable and sustainable resolution to years of violent clashes between Kusasi and Mamprusi groups.

According to Otumfuo, the legal position on the Bawku chieftaincy matter has long been settled through PNDC Law 75, provisions of the 1992 Constitution, and subsequent Supreme Court rulings. All these legal instruments, he noted, clearly recognise the Bawku Naba as the head chief with jurisdiction over the Kusasi traditional area.

He added that repeated attempts to challenge this position have been conclusively determined and closed by the courts.

While acknowledging the historical ties of the Mamprugu Kingdom to lands within the Bawku area, the Asantehene said prevailing legal realities make it untenable to pursue arrangements that contradict settled law, particularly regarding claims to the Bawku skin.

Otumfuo further disclosed that the Nayiri has expressed a willingness to make concessions in the interest of peace, describing the decision as difficult but necessary.

However, he maintained that any concessions must be consistent with the law and must respect existing legal authority.

He warned that the continued failure to enforce the lawful status of the Bawku Naba is fuelling insecurity in the area, describing the conflict as an escalating security concern that requires firm, decisive, and lawful action by the state to ensure lasting peace.