KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT BISSA SUKUMA 2022, HELD ON 26TH DECEMBER, 2022 AT THE JUBILEE PARK, KUMASI BY ALHAJI SHAIBU MUSAH GUTARE, NATIONAL CHAIRMAN, BISSA DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (BDA)
Mr. Chairman,
The President of the Ashanti Region Council of Bissa Chiefs, Kirr Tanko Yemboni,
Members of the Ashanti Region Council of Bissa Chiefs,
Hon. Members of Parliament Present,
Members of the National Executives Committee (NEC) present,
Invited Chiefs Present,
Religious Leaders Present,
Invited Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Intoduction
It gives me great pleasure to be with you this afternoon on the occasion of the first Bissa Sukuma 2022 here in Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region. 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.
Mr. Chairman, this occasion was billed to be one of excitement and joy for the Bissa people in Ashanti and all over Ghana. However, as we might have heard, at dawn on Sturday 24th December, 2022 some criminals taking advantage of the ongoing Bawku conflict, attacked some Bissa families behind the Winam Zua School, opposite the Bawku Hospital. The unprovoked attack by the unknown gun men took the lives of 1. Moro Iddrisu (55 yrs), Alhassan Issaka (55 yrs), Salmata Issaka (75 yrs old mother of deceased Alhassan), Fatima Alhassan (12 years old daughter of deceased Alhassan), and Faris Alhassan (5 years old son of Alhassan). The attack also left the wife of the deceased, Alhassan and 2 of his sisters critically injured and currently receiving medical care. The attackers who were said to be dressed in military uniforms and wearing bullet proof vests, drove a black pick-up to the scene. In fact, even cattle belonging to the victims were not spared by these thugs as they shot and killed 2 while the rest escaped! It is sad to inform you Mr. Chairman, that axcept for the injured wife and 2 sisters who are still in critical condition, the entire family has been wiped off! May Allah grant the injured speedy recovery. The deceased have so far been buried with their funerals scheduled for Tuesday, 27th December, 2022.
The Bissa development Association extends our condolences to the bereaved family and to all Bissa people. An unprovoked attack on any Bissa for no any other reason than being a Bissa, is indeed an attack on all Bissas. We condemn these cowardly attacks on our kinsmen and women. These attacks on our people came barely a week after three Bissa houses in Mazeima, a suburb of Bawku were burnt to ashes. We also recall with much grief and pain the targeted killing of many of our brothers and sisters since the inception of the recent conflict. Notable among these are the late Madam Rukaya, a pregnant woman killed at Daduri; Mma Adiza, killed in a vehicle at Saaraborgo; Arimeyaw Sule, a student from Manga who was killed at Kolore; the late Mma Alale, an 80 years old woman who was kidnapped and slaughtered at Azanga and many others including some who are still in critical condition. Rise for a minute silence for our departed brothers and sisters and all victims of the Bawku conflict.
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to raise the following questions:
1. Are all these targeted killing of Bissas in Bawku a mere coincidence?
2. Are some persons or groups waging a silent war on the Bissa people using the ongoing conflict as a cover up?
3. Are the peace loving Bissa people who have no record of ever engaging in tribal conflict with any group in modern history expected to continue to sit and look on to be hunted and killed like game?
4. Is the right of self-defense enshrined in the Constitution available to the Bissa?
5. Can the unarmed Bissa people enjoy the right of self-defense in the midst of armed murderers?
While we continue to ponder on the above questions, we wish to remind His Excellency, the President that Ghana has since independence earned for itself the enviable record of not only being a beacon of peace, but also a big player in the league of securing peace across the globe. Ghana was involved in securing and keeping peace in the Middle East, the Biafran war in Nigeria, the Liberian crisis, the Rwandan genocide among others. Here at home, the resolution of the Kokomba-Nanumba conflict and the Dagbon conflicts are highlights of our successes in conflict resolution. Therefore, the protracted Bawku conflict continue to be a dent in our enviable global image. We wish to urge government to as a matter of urgency consult experts and various stakeholders to try and achieve lasting peace in Bawku. While it is a big crime to harm or kill any human being in Ghana, there seem to be a silent exception that persons in Bawku can murder people and get away with it. The state must stamp its authority in this regard and ensure that the laws of Ghana are enforced in Bawku as well to protect innocent citizens.
Mr. Chairman, the theme of Sukuma 2022 “Maintaining Our Cultural Identity: The True Path to Unity and Progress” could not have been most appropriate. The situation the Bissa people find ourselves in now, demand that we remain focused and maintain our cultural identity, forge ahead in unity and make meaningful progress. My core message around this theme has been captured in Stargal Bansi’s latest hit song specially composed for this programme titled ‘’Sukuma’’, meaning gathering in the Bissa language.
a. Bissa cultural identity
As Bissa people, we have rich and diverse culture that identify us, some of which are displayed before us right here. We are noted for farming, especially vegetables and groundnuts. What is of importance to me is the aspect of our culture that is at a threat of extinction. This is the Bissa Language. Most Bissas who migrate from Bissa territories and settle in the cities seem to have a lot of comfort in abandoning our Bissa language for other languages. This is a dangerous trend that has the potential to deny our future generations the benefit of the language and in worse case, drive the Bissa ethnic group into extinction. Let us all consider it as a duty to Bissa and to our future generation to speak Bissa in our homes and among ourselves.
b. Bissa unity
Mr. Chairman, Bissa unity has come a long way since the formation of the Bissa Youth Association and now the BDA. This notwithstanding, some groups still think that their sub-group interest should supersede that of the BDA and all Bissas. Such thinking is primitive and retrogressive and cannot lead to any progress and development of our people. Permit me to borrow a story narrated by Former Prez Mahama during a Congress for the NDC many years back to appeal for unity within the NDC. The story is titled: The Three Birds; Tiki, Taka, Tangali… So you see, as a small group or unit, you cannot achieve much, but as a group, we can achieve more together. The BDA was not created by me Gutare and therefore does not belong to me. It is for Bissas in Bawku, Bolga, Tamale, Kumasi and everywhere in Ghana.
c. Path to progress
The BDA has been working hard to chart a path for the progress of the Bissa people. We have come out with a three year strategic plan that contain six (6) goals. These are:
1. Improving the finances of the BDA; 2. Reorganization of the Regional and Zonal structures; 3. Improving the Education of the Bissa Child; 4. Improve Bissa Culture through music, language, Zekula and the Bissa movie industry; 5. Economic Empowerment of the Bissa; and 6. Raising the Political Consciousness of the Bissa. The implementation of these goals we believe, will move us to the next level.
Conclusion:
Mr. Chairman, the patience of the peace loving people of Bissa has been over stretched. I urge the Bissa people to be extra vigilant and sleep with one eye open. They should be each other’s keeper and be prepared to defend themselves where necessary against such criminals and murderers within the remit of the laws of Ghana. Enough is enough!
Let us come together and unite in our grief. We shall turn the evil plans of the enemy into our strength. We will continue to hold on to our cultural identity, our unity and continue to march on the path of progress and advancement. No amount of intimidation can shake the Bissa people.
Thank you and God bless us all.
Bissa Woo, Bissa
Zekula N’panga
Inciteful, powerful message.