Luther King Award For Sharubutu

The National Chief Imam receiving the award from the envoy as his spokesperson looks on.

The National Chief Imam Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu last week received the Martin Luther King Award for Peace and Social Justice.

The award is an annual gesture to alumni staff of tertiary institutions, groups and others whose activities promote peace and in line with the Martin Luther King's mantra of “Service To The Community”.

US Ambassador to Ghana, Robert Porter Jackson presented the award to Dr. Sheikh Uthman Nuhu Sharubtu at the United States (US) Embassy in Accra.

The Chief Imam's spokesman Sheikh Armeyaw Shuaib in an interview with the DAILY GUIDE said this is the 9^th edition of the award and that the Sheikh Sharubutu said he is receiving on behalf Muslims and all religious persuasions in Ghana.

The cleric he said feels inspired, honoured and motivated to work for peace adding that he wants to see this virtue permeate Ghana, the African continent and the world at large.

He made reference to a segment of the Holy Quran and Hadeeth to buttress his position when he said that God created human beings in their diversity to recognize and complement each other and not to engage in perpetual conflict and continual dispute that are generated by racial discrimination, religious disharmony and tribal discrimination.

The cleric, he went on, called for collaboration, cooperation, solidarity and dialogue across different cultural, ideologies and political persuasions.

This, he said, is the only means to guarantee real peace as he charged all political parties to eschew violent elections.

God, he added, did not create us in diversity to be at each others' throats.

The one who is seen as supreme in the sight of God is one who is supreme in his piety, the Chief Imam said through his spokesperson.

The Holy Prophet, he said, pointed out that there is no supremacy among humans on tribal lines but by the fear of God stressing that we were created in diversity that we would appreciate our individual uniqueness.

The US envoy praised the National Chief Imam for his peace building activities across the various faiths in the country.

This, he said, is evidenced in his contribution towards the work of the Ghana Peace Council and humanitarian activities; the beneficiaries of which are the needy and the less fortunate in society.

The cleric, he added, has established educational facilities and continues to be involved in peace advocacy all of which formed the basis for his recognition by the embassy.