Don’t incite your followers to violence - Chief Imam tells politicians

The National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu, has cautioned politicians against inciting their followers to violence in their bid to attain political power.

He said political power was an avenue for people to administer the affairs of the state and so if it was sought through violence, the leaders would not have the needed peace to govern well.

The admonition was part of the National Chief Imam’s Eid-ul-Fitr (end of Ramadan fast feast) message which his Spokesperson, Sheikh Armiyawo Shaibu, conveyed to the Daily Graphic yesterday.

Sheikh Sharubutu condemned the violence that characterised the Talensi by-election and indicated that it sent a signal that the 2016 elections would be hotly contested.

“The Talensi incident sent a signal of what is likely to happen in the 2016 general election. We anticipate that it will be hotly contested.
“Elections are about the desire to have the reins of power, not a contest to take power for its sake. As we compete for votes, we do not have to drift the electorate into violence,” he stressed.

Reports from Talensi indicated that there were incidents of violence and firing of gunshots that led to the hospitalisation of some victims and the destruction of vehicles.

The reported clashes involved the Azorka Boys of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Bolgatanga Bulldogs of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The NDC candidate, Mr B. T. Baba, a retired Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, won the by-election held on July 7, 2015.

Chieftaincy disputes

Sheikh Sharubutu expressed worry that many chieftaincy conflicts were in areas dominated by Muslims.

That conflict situation, he said, was a contradiction of the peace, tolerance and compassion that Islam taught and which were made more manifest during the fasting period.

The Chief Imam, therefore, urged Muslims to let the spirit of peace, tolerance and fellow feeling that they had acquired during the fasting period guide their actions in all their dealings, including elections.

“Prophet Muhammed taught us to refrain from insults and indecent language and whenever we are provoked, we should say: ‘I am fasting’,” he said.

Sheikh Sharubutu stressed the need for people to use dialogue to settle disputes or seek redress in the courts, instead of attacking one another.

That tolerant posture, he said, was what Ghana needed to project its image as a peaceful country and also serve as a shining example for other African countries.

Religious tolerance

The Chief Imam expressed satisfaction with the peaceful coexistence between Muslims and Christians in the country, saying that was in line with Islamic teachings which instructed Muslims to live in peace with adherents of other religious faiths and tolerate the views of others in a diverse society.

For instance, he said, the Qur’an admonishes Muslims not to insult the gods of idol worshippers because they would in turn insult their God out of ignorance.