“Stand and greet me”: Ban all NPP activities on your land until Akufo-Addo apologize — Malik Basintale to Yagbonwura

The overlord of Gonja, the Yagbonwura Bii-Kunuto Jewu Soale I, has been urged to ban all activities of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Dagbon lands until President Nana Akufo-Addo apologizes for disrespecting his throne.

The call was made by Malik Basintale, a Deputy National Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

It comes after an incident at a ceremony attended by President Akufo-Addo in Damongo, where his bodyguards reportedly signalled the Yagbonwura to rise and shake hands with the President, a seeming order the overlord refused.

“Yagbonwura I appeal to you to ban all NPP activities on Yagbon Land until President Akufo-Addo apologises for disrespecting your throne,” Basintale said in an interview with Accra-based XYZ FM.

He describes the President's behaviour as "arrogant" and wondered why Mr Akufo-Addo would be drenched in self-aggrandizement and be ordering chiefs in some areas of the country to rise from their skins or stools to exchange pleasantries with him.

Before this, a similar video emerged which captured the President ordering some chiefs at a funeral to stand up before shaking hands with him.

This has divided opinions as some find it very disrespectful towards traditional customs while others say the President was only exercising his powers as the first gentleman of the land.