There is no “us” and “them”—Let’s consolidate our peaceful co-existence

In 1953, an ordained Pastor left his country of origin in present day Burkina Faso with his wife, two children and copies of the Holy Bible translated into his native Moshie language (one of the Mole-Dagbani languages spoken predominantly in Burkina Faso and in some in parts of Ghana, notably Bawku) to win souls for Jesus Christ (Peace Be Upon Him). Armed with a Vision by God, he arrived in Bawku and was taken to the very the first Assemblies of God missionary field branch established in 1937 in Misiga-Bawku after Tamale and Walewale in 1935.

Upon arriving, he realized the location differed from the “vision” he saw in his dream and set out to find the exact location. He arrived in Natinga, a predominantly Mamprusi- Muslim suburb of Bawku and was received by the family of the Late Naaba Salma Yiremea of blessed memory. He was later hosted by the late Badepeda Kariama Bugri (my grandfather). His hosts made his stay with them very comfortable and led him to the then Bawku Naaba, Naab Saa Wuni Bugri who offered the Pastor parcels of land, which currently houses the Bawku Central Assemblies of God Church, Sunday School and a Library.

Realizing his Vision was becoming true, the man of God never returned to his home country. He was called Pastor Aquilla Tapsoba Yamdogo. He passed away on 14 June 2008, leaving a legacy of a full blown Church with many branches in the Upper East Region. He was the first to set-up a full blown church structure and congregation in Bawku even before the Roman Catholic Church step foot in Bawku town in 1954 after expanding from Binduri.

Growing up as kid, as did my father and other prominent Muslims within Natinga, I “fellowshipped” at the Assembly of God Church, probably because of the hot tea and bread they provided in big drums during Christian festivities (Not a joke). And so anytime I meet my Assemblies of God brothers and sisters, I tell them I stopped attending the church because the tea service was stopped, and we have a good laugh. Some of them admit that the congregation has actually gone down these days and I tell them to reconsider bringing back the tea service.

To date, some of my extended family members are devout Christians and I served an Uncle, Mr. David Azare (Dr. Zet) whom I owe a lot of my confidence and emotional intelligence to. He is currently a Church Deacon, . In fact, I used to enjoy reading his daily devotional booklet called “Daily Bread” and assisted him with church activities when I completed Senior High School. I was a young Muslim serving as modern day “Personal Assistant” to a Church Leader.

Another interesting and controversial aspect of co-existence and religious tolerance comes from my family house, known as “Big House” (because is a really big house with several extended family members) . There is another big house but ours was notorious for the Pito, the Lotto Sellers and the live music performances by local Musicians like Akona Yarum (A Prolific Kusaasi Music Celebrity). The locally brewed beer, known as Pito is considered Haram in Islam (forbidden to carry, taste, sell or even show where it is brewed or sold for a prospect-Islamically) yet it was brewed and sold in our family house where both Muslims and Christians lived until as recently as 2013 when the business collapsed due to a lack of succession plan following the death of the last Brewer, one of my many grandmothers, called Ndebugri (she is of Kusasi extraction).

My experience has better shaped me as a person tolerant of diverse views and I love to quote and use the Bible a lot in formal and informal settings and people often ask if I was a Christian. My family’s example is just one of the many interconnectedness and long-held religious-tolerence and multi-cultural rapport that has existed in Ghana before independence and beyond.

It is therefore saddening to hear some highly placed men of God, with large following, exhibit such ignorance and intolerance regarding the issue of Ramadan fasting by Muslim girls in Wesley Girls High School, contrary to the teachings of Jesus Christ (Peace Be Upon Him) who enjoins us “to be all things to all people” by adapting our approach to win souls for Christ without compromising the tenets of the Church that is “to the slaves a slave, to the weak, a weak person, to the Jews, a Jew an to those under the Law, I became under the law”1 Corinthians 9:19-23.

Is it therefore not ironical for Dr. Samuel Ofori Onwona, a Leader of the Methodist Church, where some of my staff and In-Laws attended basic school to issue threats to the President of the Land for not honouring the same Biblical command “The Battle Is the Lords” he does not want to subject his decision to?

Putting what Dr. Onwona said in context, I must admit that, if indeed the Ghana Education Service did not consult the School Authorities, the Education Ministry erred in its approach by not engaging in adequate consultation, the it is unacceptable. I know of several Christians who are not in agreement with the arguments and position of the authorities of Wesley Girls High School and the Methodist Church. As such, the Reverend should not profess to speak on behalf of all Christians and should understand that, the context of Fasting in Islam is different and no institution can make a determination as to whether one can fast or not except on PROVEN medical grounds. And Islamic fasting doesn’t require the school to change instructional hours.

Having followed his great career in International Development in muti-cultural environments like the World Bank and African Development Bank and as Motivational Speaker I consider a mentor, I could not reconcile the position he took and the choice of words he used. I wish to humbly remind my mentor of the following wisdom in the Biblical caution that, anger takes one’s protective cover from them. Ephesians 4:26-27: 26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27: and do not give the devil a foothold.”

I am therefore humbly urging the Christian Council and the Methodist Church to rescind their decision and tread cautiously so as not feed into the whims of “religious” extremists and radicals who are waiting to distort and take advantage of a seeming disagreement to recruit innocent, uninformed and gullible youth into their fold. Let us reflect and learn from Nigeria’s experiences with Boko Haram and the Xenophobic attacks in South Africa, and make efforts to be tolerant towards one another and nip religious intolerance and hatred in the bud before the situation gets of out of hand.

Finally, to my Muslim readers, I say it is okay be a minority, for throughout history, minorities that consistently claim their rights eventually get to exercise them and prevent the violation. Ever wondered why every international flight has Vegan food on board? The power of the uncompromising minority!

By fasting, Muslims are exercising their bona fide constitutional and religious rights, not breaking institutional rules and regulation. And it is the duty of every right-thinking citizen to respect these rights. I have avoided using any Quranic verse or Hadith so far, but I am tempted to use at least one Hadith to caution fellow Muslims speaking on this subject “Oh you who Believe in Allah and the Last Day, say good speeches or keep mute”- Al Bukhari.

Thank you.

Alhaji Awal Ahmed Kariama

The Writer Is a Development Practioner, Frequent Traveler, Entrepreneur and Human Rights Activist based in Northern Ghana.

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