How former Kumbungu MP got the name Ras Mubarak

Former Member of Parliament for Kumbungu, Mohammed Mubarak has revealed how he got the name Ras which has stayed for years.

According to him, he earned the name just when he started growing his locks back in the days he worked with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC).

The name Ras, he said represented rasta.

Ras Mubarak explained that he decided to grow his hair to defy the ‘norm’ when he realized people with dreadlocks were discriminated against.

The former legislator continued that his locks were to solidarize with Rastafarians who have been persecuted because of their dreadlocks.

Due to his intention to be associated with the Rastafarian group at the time, he cared less about what people said behind his back.

Narrating this on Metro TV’s Inside pages show monitored by GhanaWeb on Saturday, March 27, 2021, the former legislator said, “I got into GBC in the 90s. 1997 to be precise. During my time in GBC, I saw a certain trend that had to do with discrimination against even artistes who had dreadlocks and who were trying to get us to play their music. Along the line, I just could not stand the discrimination that persons with dreadlocks were feeling or undergoing in our society so I decided to grow my locks as a symbol of defiance in solidarity with persons who are persecuted… by virtue of the fact that we have dreadlocks.

"I think a lot of it boils down on ignorance and so I grew my locks for some time until I began balding. That’s how come I got the name Ras because colleagues would call me rasta ras rasta and it kinda got stuck but my real name is Mohammed Mubarak,” he added.

He held the view that no Ghanaian should be discriminated against because of their belief.

“Under no circumstances should any Ghanaian or African be discriminated against because of their decision to uphold and to keep their African tradition.”

His comments come on the back of controversies surrounding Rastafarian students who were denied admission into Achimota School.