Let me die first before usurping my powers - Chief Imam

The National Chief Imam Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu in a rare fit of anger last Saturday warned persons whose manouvres are threatening the peace of the Islamic community to desist from such activities.

Such persons he said “should wait till I am dead and gone before they engage in these peace-threatening activities. I have a few more years to live.”

His last two public speeches were direct hits at those who are suspected of clamouring for the appointment of a Greater Accra Regional Chief Imam, a position which he combines with his national chief imamship.

Many who heard him last Saturday at Sabon Zongo during a religious activity to commemorate the birth of the Senegalese cleric Sheikh Ibrahim Niyass who died in 1975 said they had never seen him so angry.

The Council of Muslim Chiefs has been fingered as being behind the proposal but the Public Relations Officer of the council Chief Imoru Baba Isa who is also the head of the Wangara Community in Maamobi denied the allegation.

Chief Imoru Baba Isa who was present during the cleric’s address at Sabon Zongo told the DAILY GUIDE that “on Friday morning Chief Abdul Kadir Tahiru, President of the Council of Muslim Chiefs called to tell me that a group of Muslims came to propose the appointment of a Greater Accra Regional Chief Imam for which he was seeking my opinion.”

His response, he said was “such a subject requires consultation with the various stakeholders. We should deliberate upon it.”

Considering the fury in the National Chief Imam last Saturday when he visited the subject he said “we decided to hold on with a scheduled meeting for today for a discussion on the subject. That was the first time that I saw the cleric so angry. The issue has generated tension in the Islamic community in Accra.”

The National Chief Imam, he said, told the clamourers that “let me die before you engage in such activities. Very soon I would leave you.”

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The Council of Chiefs as a body is not behind the proposal but some individual chiefs, Chief Imoru Baba Isa said.

On this subject the cleric told DAILY GUIDE “I have not thought about such an appointment. I have nothing to do with it.”

A group of Muslims in Accra are reported to be clamouring for the appointment of Yahyal Amin, a man who studied under the National Chief Imam.

When DAILY GUIDE called the said cleric, he denied any knowledge of such manouvres. “Wallahi, I am unaware of any such manouvres” he said.

Yesterday at the funeral of a certain Abdul Karim at East Legon, the Chief Imam once more hit at those behind the proposal when he said “I live peacefully with everyone and I intend to maintain the status quo until my last day but if you prefer to create problems for me and the Muslim community, then I pray to Allah to call me.”

He advised Muslims to avoid envy, superstition and suspicions all of which are abhorred by Prophet Mohammed adding that all should strive towards unity for in that virtue lies strength.

One of the National Chief Imam’s aides has received threatening correspondences via his smart phone. A portion of one of such messages read “The evil man Malam Yahaya is the next chief imam of Ghana. Your or Latif can’t stop that from happening. Be careful, u will die before Malam (chief imam) goes to Shaytan (satan). God will punish (sic) u and your children. More to come.

Very soon it will be over for u. Malam yahaya is the next chief imam. All ur evil deeds will soon be exposed. Bye for now.

Good morning Satan. How are u and your evil plans for today. U only survive becos of malam. If not like u dead by now. Animal like u. If like Malam is ur real father like u will never use him the way u and latif are doing to the old man. Very soon the Muslims will force him to step down becos is old enough to take rest. Which he needs so bad.