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Salifu Basiru, the author of a Book dubbed Evolution of politics in Kumasi zongos has entreated the youth in the Zongo communities to shun political violence in the upcoming Presidential and Parliamentary elections to shame politicians.
According to him, it’s a few days to Ghana’s 2024 general elections, and believe everyone of them has already made an informed choice to vote for his or her preferred candidate.
He expressed the view that it’s our civil right for us as citizens to vote and elect leaders to spearhead the affairs of the country in the next four years.
He indicated that, they vote for them to provide them with policies that will make our life’s better and not worse.
According to him, it was on that note, he is encouraging his Zango friends to go out and vote peacefully.
He noted that the Quran is not against voting, neither is the Quran saying Muslim should not vote, certainly NO. Says it’s very imperative to vote as Muslim for policies that will help and guide Islam to move forward or policies that favor the Muslim community.
He stressed that a political violence quote by Folorunsho Ahmed Adekunle says, Vote not fight, the thumb speaks so loudly, then your violent voice in election time, of your thumb you ought to be proud.
He said the poem, palpably telling us that the vote is by the use of thumb and not gun, and if any politician asks you to snatch a ballot box, kindly ask them to engage their children first.
He reminded the zongos as they are all aware of the political violence across the country especially during 2020 election where eight innocent individuals lost their lives just because of an election. He said election supposed to be sharing of different ideas and opinions and not sharing of blood and tears.
He also reminded them of Asawase and Ejura Zango all in the Ashanti region, people lost their dear life all in the name of politics.
He urged them wise up and do the right thing to make Zango great again.
Salifu Basiru reminded the youth that Zango cut across all regions in Ghana with the densely populated areas in Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi, respectively.
He said people see the Zangos as a community domiciled with violence anytime political issues come up, and most politicians use us for their political rebellion to win power, thinking Zango men are strong and with little money given to them, they cause violence.
He urged the youth in Zango to shame them in this year’s election.
He lamented that the name of Zango is spreading day in and day out, because of how people see us to be a community full of violence and causing of mayhem. They breed us for violence, and mobilize us like soldiers of pharaoh, and armed us against yourselves, but enroll their silent family for a big job so loud.
He entreated the youth in zongos not to allow politicians to build boundaries among them as Muslims.
He urged them to help protect their sanctity, heritage, their community for the future generation, in order never notice or hear any bad name of the Zango community.
He Challenged them to help wipe that bad homage in this year’s election and put the politician to shame. Says it is long overdue to experience violence free elections in the Zangos in this year’s election.
Basiru also encourage and entreat the youth to be very vigilant and never to be used as a political scapegoat, and remember to put Zango first and make it their priority to protect their beloved community against violence.
From Ernest Best Anane, Kumasi
