The Gbiniyiri Conflict Mediation Committee has paid a courtesy call on the King of the Gonja Kingdom, Yagbonwura Bii-Kunuto Jewu Soale I, at the Jakpa Palace in Damongo as part of efforts to foster dialogue and consolidate peace in the Bole and Sawla Traditional Areas following the deadly Gbiniyiri clashes.
The conflict, which erupted in August over a disputed plot of land in the Bole District, left at least 34 people dead and displaced approximately 50,000 residents, many of whom fled to other parts of Ghana and neighbouring Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast.
The committee, established by President John Dramani Mahama through the Ministry of the Interior, is tasked with mediating among the Gonja, Birifor, and Lobi communities affected by the violence.
Chairman of the Mediation Committee and former Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Emmanuel Bombande, emphasized that the group’s mandate is rooted in dialogue rather than negotiation.
“Your Royal Highness, our real name should be the Dialogue Committee,” Bombande said. “Our duty is to engage with all sides respectfully, promote conversation, and build trust. In our culture, we call that ‘Jirma’ (respect) and without it, peace cannot prevail.”
He commended the Yagbonwura’s leadership in calming tensions and noted promising signs of recovery in the conflict-affected areas, including the rebuilding of the Gbiniyiriwura’s palace and the gradual reopening of markets.
“We are here to beg for forgiveness, to listen and to ensure that what happened in Gbiniyiri never happens again. We will support your efforts to heal and rebuild this great kingdom,” he added.
Responding on behalf of the Yagbonwura, the Paramount Chief of the Mankpan Traditional Area, Mankpanwura Jakpa Achor-Ade Borenyi, expressed the Overlord’s appreciation for the visit and reaffirmed his commitment to peace.
“Even though conflict causes pain, a father swallows it for the sake of his children,” he said. “Our Overlord has demonstrated that he is a man of peace. The very fact that even some Lobi representatives could visit the palace today shows his open heart.”
He revealed that the Yagbonwura has directed his chiefs and youth leaders to develop by-laws to guide coexistence between natives and settlers in Gonjaland, which will be submitted to the Regional Peace Council for adoption.
The President of the Gonjaland Youth Association, Alhassan Baba Darison, reaffirmed the youth’s commitment to peacebuilding and respecting landownership rules.
“We will not chase anyone from our land,” he said. “But those who settle must respect the rules. A log may stay long in water, but it does not become a crocodile.”
Chairman of the Yagbonwura’s By-Laws Committee, Trodonpewura Abdallah Ahmed, said draft rules had already been prepared for both Gbiniyiri and the wider Gonjaland area.
“These by-laws are not new,” he explained. “They are rooted in Gonja traditions dating back to the 1930s and align with Ghana’s constitution. Our goal is to institutionalize peace within the bounds of the law.”
The courtesy call ended with prayers for peace and unity, with both the mediation committee and Gonja leadership reaffirming their commitment to rebuilding trust, promoting dialogue, and ensuring that the Gbiniyiri conflict serves as a lasting lesson in reconciliation.
Source: www.KumasiMail.Com/JosephZiem
