Rt. Rev. Prof. Obiri Yeboah Mante, the 18th Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), has described Vice President Mahamadu Bawumia as a leader who symbolizes religious unity and peaceful coexistence; vital qualities needed for development of the country.
Prof. Mante, mostly known as J.O.Y Mante said Dr. Bawumia can be best described as a “Muslim Christian” and an icon of religious unity.
Addressing the closing session of the 23rd General Assembly of the PCG on Sunday August 20, at the Ramseyer congregation at Abetifi Kwahu, Rev. Prof. Mante said the nation Ghana is grateful to God for gifting the nation with Vice President Bawumia.
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He described the Vice President as someone who has embraced religious diversity and feels so comfortable worshipping with Christians, although he is a Muslim.
He narrated that “one day at one of our events like this i was standing by the Vice President Bawumia and surprisingly he sung all the lines of a hymn we were singing.
“So I asked him how did you learn all of these, and he responded that ‘I used to be a member of the Methodist Boys Brigade when I was young’.
“I don’t know if he finally became an officer, but I think he is more than a Muslim. I think Vice President Bawumia is a Muslim Christian” Rev. Prof Mante disclosed.
The closing session of the 23rd General Assembly was attended by many high-profile personalities from academia, politics, traditional rulers, and clergymen from the Presbyterian church from across the continent.
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At this year’s Assembly, Rev. Dr. Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye was elected as the new moderator of the church.
The Vice President has publicly narrated the story of his formative years in primary school in Tamale, when, as a young Muslim, he had his parents’ permission to join his friends at the Methodist Boys Brigade, which he described as “one of the most disciplined associations for boys in the country.”
During one of such narrations, he called on the Christian community to continue to do more for the people and the nation, Dr Bawumia also called for more tolerance and selflessness.
“The Good Book urges us to be our brother’s keeper. I would, therefore, like to use this special opportunity to preach tolerance since it is the bedrock of our democracy.”
“As we discuss issues about peace and religious advancement of our people, we also have to pray for the country to move from Grace to Grace,” Dr Bawumia noted.
