The National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, has donated GH¢50,000 to support the fund mobilisation for the construction of the National Cathedral to ensure its early completion.

The gesture is to further strengthen the solidarity and goodwill between Muslims and Christians and underscore the need for all religious faiths in the country to work together towards ensuring inter-religious cooperation and harmony.

He made the presentation when a delegation from the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral called on him at his residence at Fadama in Accra yesterday.

Visit

Among the delegation were the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Apostle Professor Kwadwo Nimfour Opoku Onyinah, who is the immediate past Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, and the
Metropolitan Archbishop of Cape Coast, the Most Rev. Gabriel Charles Palmer-Buckle.

The visit was to congratulate the Chief Imam on the completion of the National Mosque and also brief him on the progress so far made on the construction of the National Cathedral.

Gesture of peace, support

Sheikh Sharubutu said his gesture was also to further give credence to the peaceful co-existence among Christians and Muslims in the country and emphasised that both religious groups traced their origins to a common source and must, therefore, do all they could to avoid any diversity and support each other.

“We are living in peace, and there is no disharmony or conflict among religious groups in the country. This is a kind of favour that is unique to our country because other nations do not have it. We must appreciate that and do whatever we can to protect it.

“Let us not allow politics to come between us and break our relationship. Let us keep politics aside, so that we the followers of different religions can get united and dialogue among us in such a way that we will deepen our bond and then help our country,” Sheikh Sharubutu stressed.

He said the creation of humans into races and ethnic groups was not for humanity to be engulfed in perpetual war and conflict, but rather for humans to acknowledge one another.

The Chief Imam expressed his excitement about the meeting and advised that both religious groups must support each other and always come together to restore harmony whenever there was any misunderstanding.

“I am excited about this meeting and I am happy you came to support us when we inaugurated the National Mosque. We too will reciprocate that gesture when the National Cathedral is completed,” he said.

Commendation

Apostle Onyinah expressed his gratitude to the Chief Imam for the kind gesture, saying that it was a gesture which showed love and maturity.

“I am short of words and I just don’t know what to say. This is not something we must take for granted; it is great honor and we must acknowledge it.

“I believe many people, including Christians and Muslims, are going to follow what the Chief Imam has done, so that we will not use our diversity to fight but exhibit love for one another and come together as people of God and Ghanaians,” Apostle Onyinah, who is also a former President of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council, said.

He noted that the Chief Imam was an epitome of grace and love and a great example of how the people of God must behave.

He prayed for the sustainability of Sheikh Sharubutu’s legacy to encourage other religious leaders to also exhibit their love for humanity.

Progress

Touching on the progress made so far on the cathedral, Apostle Onyinah said currently the project was at the excavation level, and that it would be completed soon for the construction process to begin.

Additionally, he said, there had been a lot of progress in the fundraising, which reason he was hopeful the building would be completed without any financial difficulties.

Apostle Onyinah hinted that on September 5, this year, all pastors in Greater Accra Region, together with their spouses, would meet at the Royal House Chapel to launch the fund-raising strategies for the project.

Religious tolerance

For his part, the Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees, the Most Rev. Palmer-Buckle, commended the Chief Imam for inviting members of the Christian faith during the inauguration of the National Mosque.

That, he said, was an indication that in spite of the religious diversity in the country, there was tolerance among all religious faiths.

“Our presence here is to acknowledge the fact that from Abraham, we are brothers and sisters, and we pray that we the followers of Christ and the followers of the Prophet Mohammed will show to the world that our peace, development, love and strength come from God,” the Most Rev. Palmer-Buckle, who is also a former Vice-President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, said.