As part of the high-level mediation efforts to find a lasting solution to the Bawku chieftaincy dispute, which has plagued the Upper East Region for years, it has been recommended that Seidu Abagre, who was recently installed by the Mamprusi side as a rival chief to the Bawku Naba, Asigri Abugrago Azoka II, should be recalled to Nalerigu by the Overlord of Mamprugu, the Nayiri.
As a key figure in the contention over the Bawku skin, Seidu Abagre is to be recalled to Nalerigu and be reassigned to perform a different traditional role at the Palace of the Nayiri in Nalerigu.
Or if Seidu Abagre chooses to stay in Bawku, then he will have to stay there as a private citizen and not as a chief.
This was part of the recommendation by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, in the mediation report on the Bawku chieftaincy dispute, which was presented to President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday evening [Dec 16, 2025].
The proposal further indicates that this reassignment should be “assisted by the State,” suggesting a collaborative role for government in the process.
Otumfuo’s recommendation, however, provides a clear alternative. Should Mr Abagre choose not to accept the new role in Nalerigu, he may remain in Bawku, but as a private citizen.
The condition attached to this option is stringent: he must reside there “as an ordinary citizen of the community but not to pose as Bawku Naba.”
“The final resolution of the Bawku Matters requires that Mr Seidu Abagre be recalled to Nalerigu by the Nayiri to be reassigned to play another traditional role at the Palace of the Nayiri, assisted by the State. Alternatively, he may choose to stay in Bawku as an ordinary citizen of the community but not to pose as Bawku Naba,” the Asantehene said when he read the full details of his mediation report to the President at the Jubilee House on Tuesday evening.
Otumfuo stated unequivocally that the current position of the law, as affirmed by the Supreme Court of Ghana, is that Asigri Abugrago Azoka II is the lawful Bawku Naba.
Attached below is a video of the Asantehene reading the full report in which he stated that both sides made concessions in the mediation effort for peace to prevail
Read also: Otumfuo urges unity and compliance as Bawku peace report reaches Jubilee House
Background
The Bawku chieftaincy crisis is a long-standing dispute primarily between the Kusasis and the Mamprusis over the right to occupy the Bawku skin.
The conflict has periodically erupted into violence, leading to loss of lives, destruction of property, and a persistent security clampdown in the area. Multiple efforts by governments, the National Peace Council, and traditional authorities have been made to find a sustainable peace.
The recommendation now places the ball in the court of the Nayiri, Naa Bohagu Abdulai Mahami Sheriga, and the parties involved in Bawku.
The government is yet to issue an official statement, but President Mahama has indicated that an official statement would be released within the next 24 hours. The government is expected to support any viable roadmap endorsed by the key traditional authorities involved.
