The Mamprugu kingdom and Mamprusi especially in Bawku tied our hope to the NPP over the years because you can't talk of the Chieftaincy affairs without bringing in Ghanaian pioneer politicians in Ghana's struggle to independence.
Mamprusi were in the Northern People's Party which has it's first Chairman as a Mamprusi in the person of Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia father of the current Vice President of Ghana and it's Secretary as a Mamprusi Prince from Bawku. The Nayiri, Naa Sheriga Abdulai father of Naa Bohagu Abdulai Mahami Sheriga was made the patron of the NPP.
The National Liberation Movement (NLM) which was made of the Asantes and the Akyems was the major competitor of Kwame Nkrumah's CPP down south so they were both trying hardly to get the support of the North. The NLM succeeded in getting the NPP to their side.
When Nkrumah won the elections and subsequently became Ghana's President after independence, he saw Mamprugu as his enemy. Both Mamprusi and the Akyems suffered the same faith under Kwame Nkrumah. Just like how the 13th Bawku Naaba, Naa Salma Yirimeya Mahama was exiled to Togo, the then Okyenhene was also exiled from Kyebi and he stayed at Accra.
Mamprusi over the years have been politically aligned to the NLM which later became the UP and later on metamorphosized into the modern day New Patriotic Party (NPP). We thought the NPP understands our pain better considering the fact that they caused our enemity with Kwame Nkrumah in the first place. Because if they hadn't come with their NLM for us to join Kwame Nkrumah and his CPP wouldn't have seen us as their enemies.
Unfortunately today, Akufo-Addo who is a product of the UP tradition that produced the NPP of which Mamprusi are aligned to right from pre independence have chosen to stab Mamprugu at the back. The fact that we've tied our hope to the NPP over the years doesn't mean we can't stand on our feet and fight for what rightfully belongs to us.
Mamprusi have been politically aligned to the NPP not because of Akufo-Addo but because of our ties with the NLM in the pre independence struggle. Mamprusi are righteous people and not betrayals that is why we have over the years hold on to the UP tradition. It's rather unfortunate that we have an ingrate in the person of Akufo-Addo as the leader of the UP tradition today.
Below was an interview granted by the Okyenhene to a foreign press whilst in excel at Accra. You can see Dr. JB Danquah and other members of the NLM in the video. How we wish we could get a similar video of the 13th Bawku Naaba Naa Salma Yirimeya Mahama whilst in excel at Togo.
The. Sentiments shared by the Okyenhene in this video were the same sentiments shared by the 13th Bawku Naaba Naa Salma Yirimeya Mahama whiles in Togo.
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