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Gambia: Bakau imamship crisis resurfaces

Elders of Bakau Central Mosque have again been gripped by a bitter brawl as to who should lead prayers at the Central Mosque in the absence of the ailing Imam Ratib, Alhaji Momodou Bojang.

The Gambia Supreme Islamic Council was forced to intervene last december when a bitter chaos erupted between the mosque elders, who fell apart on the issue of deputy imamship.

Alhaji Omar Jammeh has been the First Deputy Imam at the mosque for the past 10 years, but the decision of the Imam Ratib, Momodou Bojang, to appoint another deputy to lead prayers in his absence has created a bitter differences.

The matter got aggravated over the week when the Imam Ratib announced that he has formally appointed Dembo

Jammeh lead the prayers, replacing the first deputy imam, Alhaji Omar Jammeh. The Imam Ratib’s decision was greeted by vehement rejection from most of the mosque elders, who claimed that Alhaji Omar Jammeh has been removed for no just cause.

Speaking to Daily Observer, a mosque committee member, who preferred anonymity, called on the Gambia Supreme Islamic Council and the Department of State for Youth, Sports & Religious Affairs to intervene before the mater gets out hand.