Islamic Preachings Temporary Ban Over Growing Tensions

The Overlord of the Wala Traditional Area, Wa Naa Fuseini Seidu Pelpuo IV, in consultation with the Yeri Naa and leaders have temporary banned Islamic scholar's from preaching in the Wa Municipality of the Upper West Region over supremacy of facts.

The banned is expected to last for two weeks.

A statement signed by the Vice President of the Wala Traditional Area, Busa Naa Ali Seidu Pelpuo bemoaned the increasing disturbances resulting from preachers of the various Islamic sects in the Municipality.

The Overlord indicated that the temporary move is aimed to curb the spate of retributory preachings which is threatening the peace of the Municipality and its adjoining communities.

“The ban covers all sermons undertaken in the FM stations in the Municipality and includes recordings of sermons posted on Facebook,” he noted.

The ban comes on the back of recent oral exchanges and threats among Muslim leadership in the area which led to the arrests of some two young men purported to be followers of one Sheikh Musah, an “orthodox” Islamic preacher and the alleged burning of a motorbike belonging to one Sheikh Kadir of the Sunni sect.

The divergent opinions of the two Islamic sects in relation to Islamic teachings have led to verbal attacks since Ramadan, and many have decried the possible insecurity that will occur if care is not taken.

However, the Islamic scholar's are permitted to deliver Friday sermons in the mosques but with extreme circumspection in order not to transfer the hate sermons from the FM stations into the mosques.

Meanwhile, the Wala Traditional Council has called for the support and collaboration of all persons in the area, indicating that engagements are ongoing to find a permanent solution to what they describe as a “disease in our religious space”.

The statement has been copied to the Chairmen of RESEC and MUSEC, the Regional Commanders of Ghana Police Service (GPS) and National Investigations Bureau (NIB) and the Municipal Commander of GPS.

The others are the Yeri Naa, the Chief Imam, the Imam Wa Central Mosque, the President of the Jamiatul Islamiat, the Missionary-in-charge, Islam Ahmaddya, Chief Imam of Ahlul Sunnah Wa Jamaat, the Head of the Tendaamba and the Registrar, Wala Traditional Council.