Imam's Corpse Disappears from Grave

Widana (U/E), Nov. 26, GNA - The body of Alhaji Seidu Adamu, a 97-year-old Imam at Widana in the Bawku East District, buried eight months ago, has mysteriously vanished from the grave.

The circumstances surrounding the disappearance are yet to be unravelled, but family members suspect it had to do with the late Imam's spiritual uprightness, saying he had foreknowledge of his death.


Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at the graveside at Widana, Alhaji Abdulai Seidu, the eldest son of the deceased said sometime in January this year, his father was taken ill briefly and was treated and discharged at the Bawku Hospital.


He said after his recovery, the deceased called a family gathering and informed his 32 children that his time was due, and that for the three days preceding his death he would not speak to anyone.


Alhaji Seidu said his father also instructed them to bury him near his mother's grave in the house.


The GNA was told that true to his words, the Imam fell ill a week later and never spoke a word during the last three days before he passed away on Sunday, February 16 2003.

According to the son, his late father's wishes were carried out and on the seventh day funeral rites or "Adua", Imams across the country and from neighbouring Togo and Burkina Faso, who attended the funeral told the children that on every Sunday they should open the room in which he was buried to offer special prayers.


He said this instruction had been carried out for the past eight months, until at about 0200 hours last Sunday, when he heard an unusual noise from the tomb, which frightened him.


Alhaji Seidu said he informed the elders about the strange noise he had heard at dawn when they gathered for the usual prayers.


He said the family members went and opened the door but to their astonishment they found an open grave without a sign of their father's corpse.


"With the help of a torchlight, we looked into the grave only to see his burial cloth lying neatly in the tomb without any sign of a decomposed body or any foul smell from the grave", Alhaji Seidu added.