A lecturer at the Department of Religion and Human Values of the University of Cape Coast, Mr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, has stated that only restorative justice can restore lasting peace to Dagbon. Any other form of justice, according to him, “will continue to deepen the wounds and the chasm" between the Abudus and Andanis, the feuding factions in the protracted Dagbon chieftaincy crisis. Restorative justice he explained is not retributive but takes into consideration the needs of both sides in a feud, the victim and offender. “Its aim is not merely to satisfy legality and rules of punishment…it is a broad term which encompasses a growing social movement to institutionalize peaceful approaches to harm, problem-solving and violations of legal and human rights. Restorative justice seeks to build partnerships to reestablish mutual responsibility for constructive responses to wrongdoing within our communities.” Mustapha Hamid made these statements when he delivered a lecture to mark the memorial of the late Ferdinand O. Ayim on Monday. It was on the theme: “Islam, Politics and Development: Negotiating the Future of Dagbon." The lecture was organized by the Ferdinand O. Ayim Foundation. Abdul-Hamid, who is also a Director at the policy think tank Danquah Institute and a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), emphasized that if properly sought, restorative justice would not only restore peace to the people of Dagbon but also their dignity. Following a ruling by the Accra Fast Track High Court on 29 March, 2011 that saw to the release of 15 people who were charged with the murder of Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II, some youth from the Andani gate went rioting and destroying properties. They later petitioned the Attorney General, Chief Justice and Speaker of Parliament to give them justice. The Mills–led government which made the death of the Ya Na a major campaign issue during the 2008 election, promised to, and has, appealed the ruling in its efforts to find those who killed the overlord of Dagbon. However, the stance taken by the government is what Mustapha Abdul-Hamid describes as retributive and questions whether true justice would be served on behalf of all persons who died on the day the Ya-Na was killed. “Many people died in Yendi between 25-27 March, 2002. All the people who died on that day have mothers, fathers and perhaps wives and children. So what will be justice for these people? “For example, a certain woman went to the Wuaku Commission (set up by the Kufour regime to look into the death of the Ya Na and 29 others) to testify about how her son Deeba, was recruited by Ibrahim Mahama (an elder of the Andanis) to go and be a warrior for the Ya-Na. Her son died in the gun battle. And all Ibrahim Mahama did was to give her a bag of rice. Her appearance at Wuaku showed that she was not satisfied. She wanted justice for her son too. So what do we envisage will be justice for her?" The lecturer asked. “So, justice envisages a situation where we would be seeking to restore the right of every family whose member lost his life on that day. That is what justice is, irrespective of whether it is restorative or retributive,” he continued. The Abudus and Andani’s, he pointed out are sons of two brothers who are vying for their grandfather’s inheritance. He therefore urged both sides to give peace and reconciliation a chance, saying “the greatest honour that Dagombas can do to the late Ya-Na Yakubu Andani, is to see him as someone who paid the ultimate price and made the ultimate sacrifice, that peace and reconciliation might reign forever in Dagbon. “I say to the Dagbon people; do not listen to those who tell you that you ought to seek vengeance by all means. Let us not compromise in the quest for peace, reconciliation and development,” he concluded. Story by Dorcas Efe Mensah/myjoyonline.com/Ghana