Ghana’s National Security has allegedly cautioned a Kumasi-based cleric one Sheik Anas Tawfiq Ibrahim AbuBakri over alleged use of incendiary language against the National Chief Imam of Ghana in a broadcast at a Kumasi Mosque and on social media that has the potential to disturb the peace of the country.
The said Sheik Ibrahim AbuBakri Tawfiq Anas allegedly called the National Chief Imam of the Republic a “bastard” among other indirect descriptions that caught the attention of security authorities due to its potential to incite reaction from supporters of the Chief Imam who mostly belong to a different Islamic sect.
MyNewsGh.com was hinted by a source that National Security has since the early 90s monitored some areas of the Asokore Mampong Municipality including Aboabo as Hotspots for possible sectarian tension and violence.
The said Cleric Sheik Ibrahim AbuBakri Tawfiq Anas who is said to be popular among the youth on social media due to his positive social influence has since unreservedly apologized to the National Chief Imam on a public radio in the Ashanti Region.
Apologizing, he said his insults were “wrong, unislamic and unwarranted” and won’t happen again. The cleric was allegedly prevailed upon to render the public apology after calls and meetings.
Earlier viral reports on social media had suggested the Otumfuo’s Palace intervened to order the Cleric to apologize but checks show that was not the case.
Why the insults
The young Kumasi Sheik Tawfiq Ibrahim AbuBakri Anas who is said to be politically connected made the controversial pronouncement over a religious disagreement with the Chief Imam details of which MyNewsGh.com was not told.
The nature of the disagreement is said to be related to interpretation of certain Islamic texts from the Quran and Hadis.
In response, the said Sheik Tawfiq allegedly called out the Chief in the Hausa language in what MyNewsGh.com was told is very insulting, especially given the difference of age between the two.
Supporters of the National Chief Imam had since threatened to physically assault the young cleric for his insult of the Imam.
The young Cleric accused of abusing the Chief Imam is said to belong to the Suna sect while the National Chief Imam belongs to the Tejenia sect but is accepted by both sides.
The Asokore Mampong Municipal Security Council had some time ago issued a warning against provocative sermons, barring preachers from both factions from using abusive languages against each other anytime they mount the podium. The Security Council also ordered the lowering of speaker volumes of Mosques during sermons to restrict broadcast to only Mosque attendees and immediate surroundings.
Giving a chronology of violence in the Asokore Municipal between the two major sects of Islam, the Suna and Tejenia sect, the source told MyNewsGh.com both sides condemn each other for observation of certain practices that don’t conform to the strict practice of Islam including celebration of the birthday of the Prophet of Islam.
The Muslim youth of Ashanti Region belonging to either of these two sects have recorded bloody clashes over the period with deaths and injuries recorded.
According to a national security source, the two sects have clashed leading to violence and deaths from at least the 1970s to date in Wenchi, Wa, Kumasi, Prang, Nima, Fadama, Nsawam, Tafo Kumasi, Aboabo, Atebubu, Asawase, Tamale and in 1930 in Wa involving the Ahamadia sect, which was Ghana’s first intra-religious conflict.
Source: mynewsgh.com
