THOUSANDS ATTEND FUNERAL OF KUMASI ZONGO CHIEF (PAGE 30, FEB 2, 2010)

The final funeral rites of the late chief of the Zongo community in Kumasi, Alhaji Ibrahim Tansoho Tahir, held at the Kumasi Central Mosque last Saturday, turned into a durbar as people from all walks of life including politicians and traditional rulers swarmed the funeral ground in their numbers to participate in the ceremony.
Sympathisers in long queues started trooping to the funeral ground around 10.a.m to express their condolence to the bereaved family and by 1:30 p.m., the government delegation led by the Defence Minister General J.H. Smith had long taken their seats. The queues continued amid drumming and dancing.
The late Alhaji Ibrahim Tansoho Tahir, who was 72 and a traditional bone healer, was installed as Chief of the Zongo community in Kumasi on May 7, 2000, and died on January 16, 2010 after ruling for 10 years.
As Moslem tradition demands, he was buried on January, 17, 2010, at the Tafo public cemetery.
The funeral celebration of the late Zongo chief followed the successful installation of a 61-year -old business man, Alhaji Sarouk Saeed as the new chief of the Zongo community.
In all, five contestants, Alhaji Sarouk Saeed, Alhaji Yusif Gawi, Alhaji Amadu Baba, Alhaji Issah Sharon and Alhaji Sanuri Hanawu applied to be considered as the successor to the late chief. After careful vetting and consideration, the kingmakers selected Alhaji Sarouk Saeed, who was readily accepted by the other contestants and the community.
Among the high profile government delegation led by Gen. Smith were the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Kofi Opoku Manu, Alhaji Huudu Yahaya, the member of Parliament for Asawasi, Alhaji Mutaka Mubarak, the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly Executive, Mr Samuel Sarpong and Mr Mahama Ayariga.
Former President John Agyekum Kuffor also lead the delegation of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), which included his Vice-President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, the NPP flagbarer for 2008 election Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo, the Minority Leader in parliament, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, former Minister for Works and Housing, Mr Boniface Sadique and some parliamentarians.
Also in attendance were the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharatuto, Council of Ulaman Imams, The Nigerian Community in Ghana and a delegation from Libya, lead by Mr Ali Salhadem among other dignitaries.
In all, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) donated a total of GH¢8,100 to the bereaved family, wives of the deceased and the chief mourners.
Former President Kuffor also donated GH¢1,100 and Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo who had earlier left the funeral ground to attend to other issues also donated GH¢580. NPP MPs donated GH¢400.
In an address, Gen Smith commended the people of the Zongo community for their maturity, which he said, made it possible to install a successor in a peaceful manner.
Describing the deceased as a man of peace and a visionary, the different demise has created a vacuum which would take a long time to fill and therefore urged the people to collaborate with the new chief in all his endeavours.
Early, Alhaji Aliu Mahama appealed to the community to rally behind the new Zongo chief and accord him the needed respect for him to initiate programmes and policies which will impact on their lives positively.