Security analyst Emmanuel Kotin has described the planned restoration of the iconic Bawku statue as a calculated move by the government to promote peace and unity in the conflict-stricken area.
His comments follow assurances by Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah that the statue of the Zugraan of the Kusaug Traditional Area, which was recently vandalized amid ongoing chieftaincy tensions between the Mamprusi and Kusasi factions, will be reconstructed.
Dr. Boamah emphasized that the restoration is part of broader efforts by the government to foster reconciliation and healing in the region while investigations continue to apprehend and prosecute those behind the act of vandalism.
Speaking to Tutuwaa Danso on Starr Today, Mr. Kotin said the statue represents more than just a monument—it is a strong symbol of cultural identity and cohesion.
He emphasized its role in ongoing reconciliation efforts and its potential to ease deep-rooted tensions.
“The Kusasis see the current Bawku Naba as a Kusa, so they find it difficult to understand why the one he succeeded—or even the founding chief of the Kusa people—cannot be represented in Bawku,” Kotin explained. “It seems the government, weighing the situation on the balance of probability, has decided that in the interest of peace, the statue should be restored.”
He added: “To me, this appears to be a balancing act the government is undertaking in the name of peacebuilding, particularly to address the concerns of the Kusasis. In situations like this, when parties come to the roundtable, you begin to understand that both the Kusasis and the Mamprusis have taken firm positions. On balance, the decision to re-erect the statue may be seen as a step toward compromise and coexistence.”
Source: Starrfm.com.gh/Benjamin Sackey
