New Chief Imam Installed at Laribanga In The West Gonja Municipality

The Laribanga community is predominantly Muslim with historic preservation in the Ancient Mosque, Mystic Stone and an Ancient Quran.

New Chief Imam Installed at Laribanga In The West Gonja Municipality
Alhaji Mumuni Mahama Zankawah

A renowned Islamic cleric Alhaji Mumuni Mahama Zankawah has been installed as the new Chief Imam of the Laribanga community in the West Gonja Municipality of the Savannah region.

The community in its tradition has 12 Clans but 5 Clans have are legitimately allowed to ascend to the religious thrown. The Yidanyiri clan is fortunate amongst the many Clan to reign in the Chief Imam's thrown.

The Chief Imam is a lifetime leadership until one passes on before a new installation would be performed again. Alhaji Zankawah has ascended to it after the demise of his predecessor the late Imam Abutu of the Kundogsuri clan.

The installation was held on Friday, July 17, 2021, at Laribanga and brought together Muslims from far and near to grace the occasion.

The Laribanga community is predominantly Muslim with historic preservation in the Ancient Mosque, Mystic Stone and an Ancient Quran.

According to history, the Laribanga mosque was founded around 1421 is the oldest mosque in Ghana and one of the oldest in West Africa as well. 

The Laribanga community has 12 clans and out of the 12 clans, five are qualified to ascend the Imams.
Alhaji Mumuni Mahama Zankawah is noted to be a proponent of both Arabic and secular education and has been commended for bracing all odds to educate his children one of whom is a Lawyer, with others outside Ghana.

His reason for being a proponent of western education is that his immediate supervisor at the Mole National Park treated him with disdain and never regarded him simply because he (Imam Zankawah) did not have a formal education. 

To this, Imam pledged to ensure his children get the best of education so that nobody will denigrate and look down on them the way he was treated at the Mole National Park.

The coronation was graced by all well-meaning Gonjalanders including, the former Member of Parliament (MP) for Damongo, Hon Adam Mutawakilu, Balewura Alhaji Seidu Iddi, Tunawura Isaac Dramani Mumuni, the MP for Bole-Bamboi constituency Hon Yussif Sulemana, the Savannah Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Alhaji Seidu Moro Man Blessing and some constituency executives of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Abdul Sammed Gurundari