Spokesperson for the Andani Royal Family of Dagbon, Dr Yehuza Gomda, has said the family will never allow members of the Abudu gate to perform the funeral rite of the late Mahamadu Abdulai at the Gbewa Palace. The Abudu family, who announced their decision to return to the peace talks mediated by the Committee of Eminent Chiefs and chaired by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei-Tutu II this week, said they would want the committee to impress upon the Andanis to allow them to perform the funeral of their overlord who died in 1989 at the Gbewa Palace. They cited the roadmap to peace which stipulates that they be allowed to do so to back their request. However, Dr. Gomda in an interview with Citi FM on Friday, stated that the roadmap does not supersede the traditions of the Dagbon people which does not allow that Mahamadu Abdullai - who the Andanis never recognized as Ya Na – had his funeral performed at the palace. “Abudus are talking about Mahamadu Abdulai and they want his funeral to be performed in the Gbewa Palace and our tradition doesn’t allow that; so we will never accept that…” Dr Gomda maintained. “So if they are coming to talk about how Dagbon should move forward and where they are to go and perform (his) funeral somewhere…and besides Mahamadu Abdulai’s funeral has nothing to do with the Dagbon Traditional Council, it is a family affair...” He said the only way forward is for the Abudus to perform their overlord’s funeral elsewhere apart from the Gbewa Palace because he is not a Ya Na. “But if they are still (insisting) that the funeral must be performed at the Gbewa Palace, hmmm, then there is no discussion about that,” the Andani spokesperson emphasised. Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Abudu family, Mr Ziblim Iddi claims prior to his death, the late Ya Na Yakubu Andani agreed that the funeral of Abdulai be performed at the Palace as a sign of reconciliation for both families. Story by Dorcas Efe Mensah/myjoyonline.com/Ghana