Chief Imam to mark golden jubilee anniversary in October

Chief Imam to golden jubilee anniversary in October Baring any unforeseen circumstances, the National Chief Imam,Sheikh Uthman Nuhu Sharubutu will mark fifty years of his reign by October, 2023.

In view of that,the Office of the Chief has compiled valuable history and cultural significance in relation to his fifty-year reign.

The historical events that heralded the movement by the National Chief Imam the Old Fadama resident to his new location-New Fadama, the first Ghanaian National Chief Imam was Sheikh Imam Muhammad Mazanwaje Abass who held the mantle of leadership of the Ghanaian Muslim community (Ummah) until he answered the call of his maker on the 16th October 1973.

The next to have succeeded Sheikh Muhammad Mazanwaje Abass was Sheikh Mukhtar Abass who happens to be his first son, after the movement from Old Fadama to the New Fadama, being the headquarters of the current Chief Imam Sheikh Uthman Nuhu Shararubutu who succeeded Sheikh Muktar Abass, his cousin.

The crux of the golden year anniversary celebration is centered on the movement from Old Fadama to New Fadama, an event which took place exactly sixty years ago under the leadership of the first National Chief Imam of Ghana, Sheikh Imam Muhammad Mazanwaje Abass.

His successor was Sheikh Imam Mukhtar Abass, who also handed over the baton to the current Chief Imam Sheikh Imam Uthman Nuhu Sharubutu. The fifty years anniversary is under the theme: "The relocation of Old Fadama to New Fadama:Sixty years ago".

To properly situate the importance of the movement of the first national Chief Imam of Ghana from Old Fadama to the current location of New Fadama, historically old Fadama is an informal settlement seating on 31.3 hectares of land along the Odaw River and Korle Lagoon in Central Accra. It became a home to a population of roughly 80,000 inhabitants who were mainly traders.

Majority of the traders were migrants from across Ghana as well as other neighbouring West African countries.

The name Fadama was derived by the first settler on the land who happened to be the very first National Chief Imam of Ghana Sheikh Muhammad Mazanwaje Abass.

He was an Islamic scholar from Northern Nigeria who came to Northern Ghana and later traveled to settle at Old Fadama.

The community has existed sixty years after it moved from its original location of Old Fadama near the Komkomba market in Accra to the current location of New Fadama.

The Islamic religion is fast growing in Ghana and is found in every nook and cranny of the country.

The office of the chief Imam is very central and occupies an important centre stage in Ghana.

The office of the National Chief Imam, is not meant to necessarily represent any Islamic sect in Ghana.

The holder of the office represents the Ghanaian Muslim community in national affairs and build bridges between the country’s many faith as wwell as support development programmes that sensitize people to their social responsibilities.

it must be noted that the office of the national Chief Imam or what is popularly called the "grand mufti" of Ghana or simply the Chief Imam is a defacto title for the highest Muslim religious authority in Ghana. Sheikh Uthman Nuhu Sharubutu has been at the helm of affairs as Chief Imam since 1993 to date.

Historically, he succeeded Sheikh muktar Abass, who in turn succeeded the first ever national chief imam sheikh muhammad Mazanwaje Abass.

The current chief Imam Uthman Nuhu Sharubutu is a nephew to the first ever Ghanaian chief Imam Sheikh Muhammad Mazanwaje Abass.