Hohoe Hullabaloo: 10 Questions to the Gbi Traditional Council

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When I first heard about the unrest in Hohoe, I was tempted to dismiss
it because there I was wondering how on earth members of a religious
group could be at loggerheads against indigenes of an area.

My simple reason being that, some people caught in the middle were
sure to belong to both sides (Muslim indigenes), so I kept wondering
even as the rumpus raged on disturbingly so, where they would stand.

The summary of what polluted the peace at Hohoe is of how a Muslim
young man got electrocuted and died due to medical negligence,
obviously agitated; family demands his release for burial but mortuary
man refuses except after autopsy.

In the wake of some disparaging remarks by mortuary man, the Muslims
in the area mass up and misbehave at the hospital, dim wittedly
destroy property and make their way with the body of the young man to
bury as prescribed by Islam.

Enter, Togbega Gabusu; chief of the area: he slaps a fine of GH? 2000
and two cows on the Muslims for their unruly behavior. Failure to
which they should not bury their dead on Hohoe land.

It so happened that a senior Muslim cleric passes on within the same
time. Gabusu is accorded the needed respect of being informed but he
wouldn?t budge, so Muslims decide to bury their chief Imam.

Before long; the body of the deceased that was laid to rest is found
in the streets, it had been exhumed and dumped. Yes! Whoever they are
and whoever sent them had done such despicable and abhorrent an act as
that. Totally unwarranted!

Who won?t be disturbed under such provocation? That someone has
exhumed the body of their leader and mistreated and subjected it to
such incalculable impertinence. I shudder to think what would have
happened elsewhere.

Muslims are back into the picture for very unfortunate reasons of
attacking and shamelessly vandalizing the palace of the chief in anger
and apparent retaliation to the damning action meted to their Imam.

Another of many false steps that a few Muslims took and which brought
unnecessary fitnah (commotion) for the larger group.

The indigenes onslaught on Muslims in the wake of the attack on Gbi
Palace is of wanton vandalism during which period many Muslim stores
were PILLAGED (caps mine) and burnt. Life savings and hard earned
property plus two lives were lost in hours.

The Muslims go on to bury their Imam in front of the Hohoe Central Mosque.

Subsequently, Togbega and his council are just basking in their new
found media blitz. Today he says this and tomorrow comes out to
contradict his earlier position.

First; they held back a procession most possibly after the security
agencies advised them on how dim witted that idea was especially as
Togbe?s route was to include the Muslim areas.

Next, they wake up to realize that their regalia is missing and issue
an ultimatum to the Muslims to return the regalia in two days or ?
(indeed, this was part of the new found muscle flexing and weight
throwing flex the council had assumed.)

The reason being that a number of Muslims had chosen to abandon the
town in the interest of peace. For the records, if anything at all the
regalia was also destroyed in the earlier attack. IT IS NOT WITH THE
MUSLIMS (what would they need it for?)

In between time, Gabusu is all over the media, positing as a refugee
in his own land, lucky to be alive having escaped the wrath of Muslim
youth and at another time assuring safety of all people under his
traditional jurisdiction.

In the very latest diktat, the Hohoe traditional council is telling us
that all Muslims who are returning after having left in the wake of
the crisis must agree to a set of conditions they impose upon them.
Balderdash, thrash and totally unthinkable.

Is this the same democratic Ghana we are talking about; where people
have to sign bonds not by the state but by some traditional authority?
Certainly the guys on the council have been left for too long to go on
with this CLEAR INJUSTICE.

Indeed, what are the council?s fears relative to the returning
Muslims, who are back in the area that some have lived all their
lives? Clearly the council is arrogating unto itself laws that not
even the state can: the earlier they are told bluntly in the face the
better.

BELOW ARE 10 QUESTIONS FOR GABUSU AND HIS COUNCIL

1. Was the ban in interment/burial the best way to ?discipline? the
Muslims community?

2. Was he contacted when the Imam died and did he order the exhumation?

3. Does the council understand the meaning of custodians? I ask
because like all other chiefs nationwide, that is as far as their
control over the land in Hohoe is.

4. Convince me that the planned procession was not ill intended and
that its withdrawal had to do with how dim witted it was?

5. What is the council?s fear relative to the returning Muslims and
what is it about conditions for nationals within his small locality?

6. The council accuses the security agencies for not acting on
intelligence; on whose part was this intelligence coming; indigenes,
Muslims, both?

7. What is the relationship between the Council and those who broke
curfew hours to torch houses of Muslims?

8. Does Gabusu and his team think it?d be wise if all traditional
authorities decide to act in the very laughable manner that they are
?messing around??

9. As the very sensitive council it is, did they hear the concerns
raised by women on market day and what are they doing about it?

10. The Muslims have a right to live within the community and it is
not within Gabusu?s power to decide otherwise.

The calm of Muslims over the last few weeks is indeed admirable and
the current leaders should do all it takes to ensure that the youth
remain calm in the face of everything. The disturbances of the past
should not repeat in any way.

?Trouble is asleep, woe unto he who wakes it up,? is an Arabic adage
that fits very well in my opinion in current happenings in Hohoe. And
it is for the simple reason that a certain leader and his council must
rethink their stands as it stands now.

ALLAH BLESS OUR HOMELAND GHANA!

? Abu Musa Kwankwaso
[email protected]

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