The Talensi Tindaam Association led by its Chairman, Separt Tindan Kenkenbil Belbazaa at a stakeholders meeting well attended by all the Tindaamas, the thirty divisional chiefs within Talensi, the Rock Union, the Talensi District Chief Executive, the Deputy Regional Police Commander and other opinion leaders at Gbeogo school for the deaf conference Hall, sent a strong warning to people they (Tindaamas) described as ‘development vampires’ to desist from creating tension and division among traditional authorities.
The Tindaamas however passionately apologized to the Tongraan and the Talensi Traditional Council for ignorantly allowing the ‘development vampires’ to mislead them into signing ‘dubious’ documents.
On October 12, 2020, a news item published on www.starrfm.com.gh with the title “Tension in Talensi as eleven Tindaama clash with Tongraan over Chinese miners” which sort to portray a division and insecurity in the Talensi Traditional area.
According to the ‘dubious’ publication as the Chairman of the Tindaamas Association described it highlighted certain alleged control of power and land ownership by His Royal Highness the Tongraan which the Tindaamas disagreed.
The quoted statements in the said news publication were part of letters purportedly written and endorsed by the Tindaamas to the Environmental Protection Agency and to the Tongraan over a land issue concerning Earl International Group Gold Limited. The two different statements according to the Tindaamas is not coming from them but rather brought to them by one C.K Bukari to thumb print without explaining the content of the documents to them due lack of access to formal education and lack of understating of western education.
At the stakeholders meeting at Gbeogo school for the deaf, the Talensi Tindaam Association Chairman, Separt Tindan Kenkenbil Belbazaa in Talensi dialect in an angry mood expressed his disappointments over how some ‘so called’ literates in the traditional area make mockery of the Tindaamas by deceiving them to endorse ‘dubious’ documents for their own selfish interest.
“We were at our various palaces when C.K Bukari brought some documents for some of our members to endorse and we did not know the content of the documents but rather told us is about securing our land boundaries. If we had known that, those documents were targeting the Tongraan, we would have rejected and discipline ‘our so-called educated children’. When they came to me to thumb print the documents, I told them I will not do that because I do not know the genesis of the issue” Separt Tindan apologized to Tongraan and other stakeholders at the meeting.
Other Tindaamas present at the meeting also expressed their frustrations and disappointments over the ‘well calculated attempts to tarnish the image of Talenteng and the Tongraan. Tindan Jenat who received Mosore the ancestral chief of Talensi, collaborated well and made Talenteng what it is today, so for C.K Bukari and his group to want to use we the Tindaamas for their selfish interest is unfortunate’ one of the Tindaamas angrily stated.
“The Tongraan has never interfered in our duties and sacrifices but rather help us to carry out our responsibilities, we do not have any problem with the Tongraan and we need unity and development in Talenteng” another Tindaana stated.
His Royal Highness Tongraan Kugbilsong Nalebgetang, the paramount chief of the Talensi Traditional Area welcomed all ideas and suggestions during the council’s deliberations. He wholeheartedly accepted the apologies from the Tindaamas and pledged to continue working with them as the custodians of the lands of Talenteng. He urged them to continue to appease the gods of Talenteng for peace, unity and development.
The District Chief Executive for Talensi Dr Christopher Boatbil who was present at the traditional council meeting thanked the traditional council for inviting him and the District Assembly to witness proceedings and to make their inputs. Dr. Christopher Boatbil said the District Security Council is following every security and instability in the district and has since made progress in resolving them and he is assuring the traditional council of DISEC’s collaboration in maintaining peace and order in the district.
The Talensi Rock union Chairman, Albert Nabil and the secretary Mourice Korah represented the union as observers. “We would like to commend the Tongraan and the Traditional Council for inviting us to this very important meeting which we think will ‘kill’ any doubt of possible disunity in Talenteng and as union that seeks the development of the area, we are assuring the Traditional council of our support in any capacity that will strengthened unity and cohesion in Talenteng”, Albert Nabil stated.
The Deputy Upper East Regional Police Commander, DCOP Alexander Amenyoh who represented the Police Commander, expressed his satisfaction on the outcome of the meeting while commending the Tindaamas for their maturity towards the sensitive issues discussed at the meeting. He reminded the Traditional Council of the need to promote peace especially in this election year.
