‘Don’t hate one another’ – President Mahama’s dual warning on peace and drugs at Eid festivities
President John Dramani Mahama launched a passionate defence of Ghana’s social fabric at the National Eid al-Adha celebrations in Accra on Wednesday, issuing twin warnings against the twin evils of political extremism and drug abuse while urging the younger generation to look to the National Chief Imam as a living example of humility.
Speaking to a cross-section of the Muslim community, traditional rulers, and diplomatic corps gathered at Black Star Square on May 27, the President acknowledged that while Ghana remains an African beacon of religious tolerance, that status is not guaranteed and must be actively defended by every citizen.
He drew a sharp contrast between the nation’s relative calm and the turbulence abroad, noting that many countries continue to bleed from conflicts driven by hatred and division. For Ghana to avoid that fate, he argued, citizens must consciously reject behaviours that put selfish gain ahead of collective survival.
“The lessons of Eid-ul-Adha extend beyond the slaughtering of animals,” President Mahama told the gathering. “The occasion calls on us to sacrifice, be selfless, don’t hate one another, don’t be greedy, not to divide, and not to be indifferent to each other’s suffering.”
He cautioned that the growing social and economic pressures facing Ghanaian communities make it even more urgent for neighbours to demonstrate kindness and empathy. He warned that political intolerance and ethnic chauvinism, if left unchecked, could unravel the interfaith harmony that has defined generations of shared living, schooling, and commerce between Christians and Muslims.
“I urge all Ghanaians, irrespective of religion or ethnicity, to continue promoting peace, tolerance, understanding, and mutual respect,” the President declared. “We must reject extremism, political intolerance, tribal divisions, and all acts that threaten our national unity.”
In a remarkable turn, President Mahama repeatedly invoked the life of Ghana’s National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, as a manual for righteous living. He described the nonagenarian cleric as a figure whose moral authority transcends religious and political lines, and whose personal example of simplicity offers a direct rebuttal to the greed and arrogance eating at the nation’s moral core.
“We are blessed to have the enduring example of our revered National Chief Imam Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, whose life continues to inspire all Ghanaians through his humility, his compassion, his simplicity, his tolerance and his peacebuilding,” the President said. “Let us emulate these noble virtues in our daily lives.”
The President then turned his attention directly to the youth, who filled a significant portion of the Independence Square stands. He broke from the usual festival rhetoric to deliver a stern, fatherly caution against substance abuse, describing drug addiction as a silent assassin of ambition and a direct threat to national productivity.
He called for a generational shift in values, urging young men and women to prioritise books over narcotics and enterprise over idleness. He argued that no amount of economic policy can rescue a generation whose minds have been captured by addiction.
“I especially encourage our young people to remain disciplined, law-abiding, respectful and responsible citizens,” President Mahama said. “I urge you to also avoid drug addiction. Our nation needs young people who are focused on education, skills, hard work, entrepreneurship and service to humanity.”
Drawing on the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the President reminded the audience that true worship is measured not by ritual alone but by sincerity, mercy, honesty, and justice in daily affairs. He said those who fan ethnic flames or sow political hatred are not only breaking the law but also violating the deepest teachings of Islam.
As the celebrations concluded, the President returned to his central plea: that Ghanaians must see themselves as custodians of a rare gift. He reminded the crowd that national development is impossible in an atmosphere of suspicion and that every citizen, regardless of faith or party colour, has a stake in keeping the peace.
“It reminds us that true worship is grounded in sincerity, devotion, humility and compassion,” he added, closing his address to applause from the assembled worshippers.
