Christian leaders give Chief Imam more respect than Muslims – Spokesman

Christian clergy give far more respect and regard to the National Chief Imam than their Muslim counterparts, his spokesperson Sheikh Arimiyao Shaibu has said.

Discussing the recent incident of reported pronouncements about the Chief Imam by Pastor Owusu Bempah on the state-owned GTV, Sheikh Shaibu underlined how the Imam’s interfaith overtures has earned him that respect over the years.

“I would say without any fear of contradiction, the respect and the regard that Christian leaders give the Chief Imam, I don’t think we Muslims come close to that. I will say this without any fear of contradiction,” he said on January 5.

“In the presence of the Chief Imam, if you see the Christian clergy sitting down, they cringe,” he added before citing a recent visit of Christian Council as part of Christmas celebration when they brought with them a token gift.

“What they said about him is a clear expression of their respect. I have met no serious Christian clergyman who has not asked about him,” he added stating that most of them refer to him as a father, grandfather or the old man.

The National Chief Imam’s office recently cautioned against pronouncements Owusu Bempah made about him during his 31st December, 2022 watchnight service.

Owusu Bempah said among other things that people who chastise him for a 2019 prophecy about the Imam’s death do not know what happened between him and the Imam in his bedroom when they met.

He disclaimed a GhanaWeb report that suggested that he had said the Chief Imam contacted him to look into his destiny.

The 2019 prophecy led to an attack by some violent Muslim youth on Owusu Bempah’s church. The pastor subsequently visited the Imam to render an apology.

SARA