Liberia’s Grand Mufti Sheik Abubakar Sumaworo is demanding President George Manneh Weah’s government to allot two seats in government to the Muslim community here. The Islamic Prelate made the call Saturday, 19 January at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium (ATS) down Lynch Street in Monrovia during thanksgiving to Allah in observance of the end of the one year of Weah’s administration.
Addressing hundreds of Muslims, Sheik Sumaworo says the provision of the two seats will enable the Muslim community in the country to be ably represented under the Weah-led government. In terms of high ranking positions in government, Associate Justice Kabineh M. Ja’neh, a Muslim, has held this position since the transitional era that preceded the 12 years rule of former President Ellen Johnson – Sirleaf.
But this job is glaringly slipping away from him because the House of Representatives has passed his impeachment bail, and he only awaits impeachment trial by the Senate to leave the job completely because majority of his colleagues on the Supreme Court bench fail to stop the lawmakers’ action.
Sheikh Sumaworo discloses that President Weah is the only Liberian President that makes Muslims in the country to be comfortable and free to practice their belief as Muslims.
As Muslims, the Islamic Cleric says their duty is to continue to intercede on behalf of the government through regular prayer to Allah. On the made of President Weah to the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs Nathaniel McGill, the Muslims gathered Saturday for prayers and thanksgiving at ATS with the presence of the President’s Religious Advisor Rev. Emmanuel Nimely.
The Muslims prayed for the nation’s peace and tranquility under the administration of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) -led government. Sheikh Sumaworo recognizes President Weah as the first Liberian president to pay the examination fees of students and allowed Muslims working in government to observe their regular prayer while at their respective workplaces.
He also recognizes President Weah’s provision of free college education, restoring of the rights of Muslim students to attend major Muslim festivals during school day, among others. He adds that President Weah also resolved the issue of unnecessary demotion of Muslim students attending non-Muslim institutions in the country, contrary to decision taken by some school authorities to prevent their religious practices.
According to him, based on the level of work done by the Weah-led administration in the country, it is the conviction of the Muslim community that President Weah will stay in power for the next twelve years.
He craves for multicultural respect and cooperation among all Liberians, regardless of their religious beliefs and practices so as to enhance government’s development agenda for the country and its people.
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Officially welcoming Muslims to the prayer for Liberia, Sheikh Abubakar Kamara says the Muslim community is answering to President Weah’s call for Muslims and Christians to offer prayers for the nation and its people as the government turns one year on 22 January. The prayer for the nation was graced by dozens of Muslim students representing several Muslim schools in Monrovia and its environs.
By Emmanuel Mondaye–Edited by Winston W. Parley
