Bature Started Ghana’s Biggest Mosque

Contrary to what his critics say, a renowned Islamic cleric in the Upper East region, Alhaji Awudu Gariba has confirmed that the biggest mosque in Ghana located in the Upper East region capital, Bolgatanga, was indeed started by Managing Editor of The aL-hAJJ newspaper, Alhaji Bature Iddrisu, in 1982.

According to Alhaji Gariba, the yet-to-be completed mosque, which is so far, the biggest Islamic worship center in the country, was started from ‘scratch’ by Alhaji Bature, “Alhaji Bature and I started the foundation of this project. He was the Project Manager and I was the first Financial Controller for the project as far back in the 1980s. It started with the contributions of Muslims, most of who have passed on. The execution is taking so long because we regretfully made the size of the mosque very big. It is the size that is making it difficult for us to complete.”

He told Accra based Star Fm that “this mosque is the biggest worship center in the whole of Ghana. It is even bigger than the National Mosque, the one built by the Turkish at Kawokudi Junction in Accra. It can seat 15,000 people…”

Some Muslim worshippers in Bolgatanga, were spotted last week Monday lined up in front of closed kiosks and, in the rain, around the venue for prayers to commemorate Eid-ul-fitr. A Star Fm reporter based in the region sought for reasons why people had to pray under harsh conditions outside a sanctuary touted as the biggest mosque in Ghana.

Alhaji Gariba, in answering the question, told the Star Fm journalist that, “a lot of people went inside. There is no space left; that’s why those outside couldn’t go in. It is today we have seen that it can’t accommodate the Muslims in Bolgatanga,” According to the respected Muslim cleric.

The mosque, which was started in 1982 during the reign of Dr Tinogar, then PNDC regional secretary (Regional Minister), according to other sources, was the brainchild of The aL-hAJJ Managing Editor who was also the then PDC chairman for Bolga Sabon-Zongo during the 31st December revolution in 1982.

The rare rains, Star Fm reported, came as early as about 7:00am and took so long a stretch to subside that residents, who were caged in their homes as streams of rainwater ran freely through deserted roads and streets, feared the Eid al-Fitr prayers finally could be held at an unimaginable nightfall.

Some of the worshippers, who poured out in their numbers after the long-lived shower had subsided, also brought the fasting period to an end standing next to each other’s shoulders throughout without shelter to pray under as the subsided rain built up once more.

“It had ever rained before on Eid day in the region; but the rain stopped at dawn. This is the first time it has rained throughout Eid prayers in the region at a level we had to relocate the venue. Since we started Eid in Bolga, this is the first time we are holding Eid in the mosque,” Alhaji Gariba explained.

Acknowledging the urgent need for the mosque to be completed, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the renowned Islamic Cleric noted, donated GHC5000 towards the completion of the mosque as part of his tour of the region.

“Not long ago, the Vice President, Bawumia, was here. He donated GHC¢5,000. We got sand and other materials. But we plastered only the other side and this front and, then, the money is finished. And even we had some materials on the ground already. So you can see, if it had been a smaller project you could see how far it would have gone with the Gh¢5,000,” Alhaji Gariba stated.

Alhaji Gariba’s confirmation that Alhaji Bature started the country’s biggest mosque goes to confirm the well-known saying that, “who Jah bless, no man curse”.