Bimbilla killings: Women-in-Fear prepares for naked demonstration

“Women-in-Fear”,  a group in the Nanumba-North district of the Northern region has given the Supreme Court a three-month ultimatum to pronounce verdict on the long standing chieftaincy dispute in Bimbilla. The women did not mince words with their threats when they said they will go naked in March 2018 if the Supreme Court does not bring closure to the protracted chieftaincy dispute which has witnessed the loss of several lives and destruction of properties. Numbering about thousand, the women from both the Na Andani Dasana and Nakpa Na Salifu feuding factions expressed their agonies by adorning themselves with red and black attires. “We wish to passionately appeal to the Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Mrs. Gloria Akuffo, to, as a matter of urgency, empanel members to thoroughly examine and give a final verdict on the matter. By doing so, Her Ladyship would be saving the lives of her fellow colleague women in Bimbilla,” Iddisah Zaharatu, leader of women’s group underscored. “That’s a final step, and to demonstrate our seriousness on our position, the women, (regarding this chieftaincy issue in Bimbilla), shall hit the streets of Bimbilla again if the Supreme Court fails to give its verdict by the end of March 2018, this time however, we shall strip ourselves naked on the streets of Bimbilla to make the Supreme Court know how determined we are to protect our lives and to live in peace as other women do in other parts of this country”. The women with one voice questioned the pride of men from the Mole-Dagbon clan as “men have resorted to killing women in conflict situation, something that is assumed a sacrilege in the history of Mole-Dagbon”. They cautioned the feuding factions to desist from killing women in the name of chieftaincy dispute because “no woman has ever, and will never become a Bimbilla Naa. It is not because we are [as women] incapable of becoming Bimbilla Naa, but the customs and traditions debar us from such. There is therefore no justification whatsoever for the continuous murder of women who have absolutely nothing to gain in the Bimbilla chieftaincy issue.” Iddisah Zaharatu further remarked, “These killings are just hatred, they kill under the pretense of chieftaincy dispute.” The women chanting, “Bimbilla dab-ba kur la paaba nama zugu” to-wit, ‘Bimbilla men kill women because of chieftaincy’ made their first call at the Gnamtanbu Palace of the late Na Andani Dasana where they presented the first copy of their petition to the Regent of Bimbilla  N-Yeb Nyelinbolugu Naa Yakubu Andani Dassana.  They requested the regent to assess  his position as the acting overlord of Nanum and the lives of women being lost under his watch. The women proceeded to the palace of the late Nakpa Na Salifu Dawuni where they presented a copy of their petition to elders of the Nakpa family. They made their last call at the office of the District Chief Executive Abdulai Yakubu. He assured them that their petition would be forward to the presidency. Abdulai Yakubu however, revealed the district security committee is putting in measures to ensure the safety of residents. Background.  A total of ten women have been killed from February to December, 2017 with the latest being the murder of 40-year old pregnant woman and mother of four, Rahinatu Alhassan. Nine women and three children were killed on February 9, 2017 in their homes without any provocation. The dead all from the family of the Kaptihi-Na (custodian of the Nanum regalia) were shot by unknown gunmen. By Zubaida Ismail |3news.com | Ghana]]>