The Wa Traditional Council and Islamic Religious Authority have condemned the reported rejection of a funeral donation by Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia made to the family of the late Imam of the Wa Central Mosque.

The Vice President was neither informed of the death of the Imam nor invited to his funeral.

But according to the Vice President’s spokesperson, Gideon Boako, the gesture was in accordance with Islamic tradition of empathising with bereaved families thus sending a delegation to commiserate with the family of the late Imam and also making a funeral donation in good faith.

But a few days after the family accepted the gesture, a press release from them said it had decided to return the money because the Vice President did not attend the funeral.

The decision by the family to reject the donation, which has been roundly condemned, seems to have embarassed both the traditional and religious authorities in Wa, who have condemned the decision and also apologised to the Vice President, on behalf of the family and the people of Wala.

A letter of apology to the Vice President signed by the Paramount Chief of the Wala Traditional Area, Fuseini Seidu Pelpuo IV, the Chief of the Muslim Community in Wa Yeri Naa Alhaji Sualihu Mumuni Sungumo and the Upper West Regional Imam Alhaji Osman Mahama Kanihi, described the rejection as “unfortunate” and “alien to the tradition and customs of the Wala people.”

The letter, thereofore, rendered an unqualified apology to Vice President Bawumia.

Below is the full letter unedited:

RE: WA IMAM’S FAMILY REJECT DR. BAWUMIA’S FUNERAL DONATION: AN APOLOGY

Our attention has been drawn to a press release issued by the family of the late Imam of Wa Central Mosque, Dr. Suleman Mahama Haroon Bakuri on 11th September 2020 captioned as above.

We wish to state that the ground on which the family under reference took the decision to reject your generous and well intended donation to the said family is alien to the customs and tradition of the Wala people and therefore, most unfortunate. The least we should have been doing as a people was to thank you so much for your recent visits to the Wala Traditional Area in particular and Upper West Region in general.

Your Excellency, we the traditional authorities would want to, on behalf of all the people in Wa, and the Muslim Ummah render an unqualified apology for the unfortunate incident.

Signed by:

Wa Na Fuseini Seidu Pelpuo IV, Paramount Chief of Wala Traditional Area

Yeri Naa Alhaji Sualihu Mumuni Sungumo, Chief of the Muslim Community in Wa.

Imam Alhaji Osman Mahama Kanihi, Upper West Regional Imam.