I am dismayed at the open show of hooliganism by a section of zongo youth at the church premises of Owusu Bempa following his unconscionable prediction of the death of the National Chief Imam.

Much as it is distasteful for Owusu Bempa who purports to be a man of God to openly predict the death of people, it cannot be basis for any violent attack on him. Our elders say: "you don't chase after a mad man when he picks your cloth, lest, you be put in the same category". If you don't believe his prophesy, why chase him? Could it be a show of chicken bravado on the part of these hooligans fearing the prediction of Owusu Bempa?

It is instructive to underscore the fact that, no human being is invincible. Indeed, the Qur'an states in clear terms: "every soul shall test death..". So when someone predicts your death, he's only regurgitating the obvious. The Chief Imam is almost 91 years old, what more is left in life for him to accomplish? He's a blessed man. Owusu Bempa may not even live up to the age of the Chief Imam. Why do you attack him? To reverse something he claims he saw spiritually? How irrational can you be especially when you don't share his faith!

For the avoidance of doubt, the brigands who attacked his church, have no Islamic basis for their action. When the Qurash told the Prophet (s.a.w) that his generation is cut off due to the death of his two sons, did he call for attacks on them? Even in the face of that tough trial, he exuded sobriety and said death is but from Allah. These lessons and many more are what our youth should be emulating. I ask those brigands, what have they achieved with this grotesque conduct? It's so shameful to say the least.

I call on the police to hunt down these brigands and make them face the full rigors of the law. People cannot act under the shade of religion, in a manner that in itself, is antithesis to the teachings of the religion, damaging properties of people and be allowed to go unpunished. The Chief Imam has distanced himself from these barbarians and so the moral grounds on which they stood to perpetrate this criminality, is no more. They must face the law in order to serve as deterrent to people harbouring similar ambitions.