KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT ZEKULA 2023 BY THE NATIONAL CHAIRMAN, BISSA DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (BDA), ALHAJI SHAIBU MUSAH GUTARE, HELD ON 6TH MAY, 2023, KULUNGUNGU
On behalf of the Lemagan, Council of Elders, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of BDA and on my own behalf, I welcome each and every one of you here to “Zekula 2023”. I convey to you all, warm regards from the Office of the Lemagan of Bissa Woo, the Council of Elders, the National Executives Committee of the BDA, the Council of Bissa Chiefs and the entire people of Bissa.
The word “Zekula” in the Bissa language means unity. Our pioneers instituted Zekula as the Bissa National festival celebrated annually here in Kulungungu, to bring all Bissas and indeed, our neighbours and friends here in Ghana and beyond together, to celebrate our traditions, cultural heritage and forge for our common development.
Mr. Chairman, allow me to begin by thanking the organizing committee of this event led by Mr. Imoro Sulemana, Chairman Upper East BDA, the Council of Bissa Chiefs in Bawku, the Bissa Ledinni group, the Bissa Belt group and the many Bissa youth and elders, members of the various BDA platforms, for their tireless efforts and support, that have made this event possible. I also wish, in a big way, to recognize the singular efforts of my big brother, Lawyer Musah Ahmed of Accra and Mr. Osman Issaka, Youth Chief of Kulungungu for their great contributions in facilitating this event.
Mr. Chairman, this is the 17th edition of Zekula and it comes with the theme: “Promoting Peaceful Co-existence with Neighbouring Ethnic Groups through Culture”. There could not have been a better theme, considering the deadly conflict that has engulfed our homeland of Bawku since November, 2021. This conflict has led to too many deaths and destruction of property. What is even worse, is that it threatens our very existence as a people. All we hear these days are poisonous audio messages encouraging our innocent youth to kill. It is important for us to recognize that we are already disadvantaged as a people and must not define competition to be between Bissa, Kusasi, Mamprusi, Moshie and the rest of our neighbours. Our competition must focus on the rest of Ghana, Africa and indeed, the world at large. We must recognize that as long as this conflict continues, our children who are our future, can no longer enjoy quality education and training that will equip them to compete with the rest of Ghana, Africa and the world at large.
Mr. Chairman, the drivers of this conflict are not the people who go out to kill. The actual murderers are those of us who choose to remain silent for these killings to continue. We are all guilty and our hands are equally soaked in blood. Silence should no longer be an option, let us continue to preach a message of peace, love and hope to our people. Let us come together to appeal to the youth to stop the killings and poisonous audios. Prof. John Azumah, President of the Kusaug Peoples Congress has shown the way by coming out recently with an audio message appealing to his own Kusasi youth to stop producing and sharing inciting audio messages targeted at other ethnic groups and political interests. Let us hear more of such messages from both sides of the conflict and from the rest of us, as a way to calm down tension in Bawku. At this point Mr. Chairman, allow me to respectfully request that we all rise to observe a minute silence for our brothers and sisters as well as all other victims who have been killed since the inception of this conflict… May their souls Rest In Perfect.
Mr. Chairman, let me congratulate the security forces and by extension, government for doing its best to manage the situation so far. Admittedly, things would have been worse without their presence. We appreciate your sacrifices and urge you never to give up on the many innocent lives in Bawku.
Notwithstanding these efforts so far, there is more that can be done by the state to bring lasting peace to Bawku. It must be clear by now, that while maintaining the military in Bawku to keep peace is a great idea, it is not the only solution to the current problem and the government cannot continue doing the same thing and expect a different result. At the very least, we all witnessed how former President Kufuor in 2002, appointed the Committee of Eminent Chiefs, led by the Asantehene to mediate in the Yendi Chieftaincy crisis. Indeed, our current President H.E. Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo became the beneficiary of the seed of peace President Kufour sowed, when he cheerfully joined the people of Dagbon to celebrate peace and enskin a new Ya Na in January 2019. Today, Dagbon is a success story as far as achieving peace after decades of protracted chieftaincy disputes and conflicts are concerned. We therefore call on the government to inject some urgency into its quest to find lasting peace for the people of Bawku and thereby leave a legacy of peace in Bawku.
Mr. Chairman in promoting peaceful co-existence with our neighbours, we are minded to celebrate our culture while respecting and tolerating other cultures. It must be well understood that, preserving our culture doesn’t mean disrespecting other peoples’ cultures, but ensuring we pass on that which defines us to the next generation. Culture has been with us since man came into existence and we are still practicing it till today. Through cultural integration, we learn how to be better people in the society and how to live together in peace as brothers and sisters. It is only through appreciating each other’s culture that we will live in harmony as a community. Cultural Festivals are a catalysts for intercultural dialogue and they reach out to people from different backgrounds and across generations. Under no circumstance, should a person abandon his or her culture.
In concluding Mr. Chairman, it is important to appreciate that culture is not static, it changes as human beings develop. We therefore, should not let ourselves be prisoners of any retrogressive culture. Ladies and gentlemen, let us continue to celebrate our culture while tolerating and respecting the rights of our neighbours to celebrate and showcase their culture. Diversity, they say, is a spice of life.
Thank you.