The Ghanaian Minaret

Accra: A Muslim delegation of Ahlussunnah Wal Jamaah clerics from Nigeria has successfully led the mediation process to resolve the feud among the leadership of Ahlussunnah Wal Jamaah (ASWAJ) in Ghana.

The Nigerian delegation led by Sheikh Abdullahi Bala lau and Sheikh Kabiru Gombe of Jama`atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa’iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS) arrived in Ghana on Monday and was joined by some clerics from Togo to start the peace process.

The leadership feud that surfaced on social media earlier this month led to the indefinite postponement of the 22nd National Dawah event, scheduled to take place on November 24 and 25 of this year.

The delegation managed to engage Sheikh Hajj Umar Ibrahim, the National Imam of ASWAJ, at the ASWAJ Headquarters in Accra and later met with Sheikh Kamil Mohammed Kamil, the Deputy Imam of ASWAJ.

After the engagement, reports suggest that the two heads of the religious organisation met in a private meeting at the residence of Hajj Umar to iron out issues that nearly altered the organisational structure of the religious group.

It is expected that an announcement would be made in the coming days on the resolutions of the leaders of the group.

The feud started after the National Imam granted an interview rejecting the candidature of Sheikh Kamil as the First Deputy Imam of ASWAJ after unsubstantiated allegations of fund embezzlement.

The allegations of embezzlement were in relation to a fundraising campaign initiated before the COVID-19 pandemic to complete infrastructure projects of the organisation.

Monies generated were eventually used to procure a heavy duty vehicle that was generating revenue for the organisation.

In the interview, the Imam said he recognised the former First Deputy Imam, Sheikh Munir Abdullah Tawfick, as the first deputy Imam despite being relieved of his duty in 2017.

The suspension ultimately led to the conduct of new elections to elect Sheikh Kamil as the First Deputy.

Before the airing of the interview, a video was circulated of the former Deputy Imam apologising and asking for forgiveness, after which the National Imam of ASWAJ talked of engaging other Imams to reinstate Sheikh Munir to his former position.

ASWAJ was formed in Ghana in 1997 with the objectives of among other things bringing together Sunni clerics in Ghana under an umbrella.

The organisation also sought to coordinate dawah activities for effectiveness and efficiency.