Opinions of Monday, 27 October 2014
Columnist: Jawando, Muhammed Suraj Sulley
I have been saddened and upset by events unfolding in the Sekondi/Takoradi Zongo regarding gay Doctor Sulley Ali-Gabash. It’s been about a week since the news broke about the poor, innocent 16yrs old Muslim student who has been confirmed to have HIV virus after having anal sex with the learned doctor. I have never ceased praying for the 16yrs old boy and will continue to do so. The said student is automatically a member of the Muslim students organization known as GIMSA (pardon my spellings), an organization we are told the doctor has supported “financially” and intellectually. Unfortunately no elder or youth group has come out from any of our Zongos to condemn the heinous and barbaric act by this doctor. The disquiet from the Zongos implies that his affluence and wealth has taped the lips of the Zongo leaders.
What was more disturbing was the interview granted by the founder and CEO of Tawheed Media Concept Inc., (TMC) Haj Saeed Jalloh. Who not long ago lead a massive demonstration in the Sekondi/Takoradi Metro area against gayism and lesbianism. He confirmed leading the demonstration and called for ostracizing gays in the said interview. He also confirmed visiting and commensurating with the doctor. He’s now going round canvassing for the Zongo elders to support Dr. Ali-Gabass. He praised him a philanthropist to GIMSA, a good, smart and intelligent man. I beg to differ, because good, smart and intelligent people do not use their stature and affluence to seduce, threat, blackmail and abuse innocent children. I’ve listened to this interview more than ten times trying to understand the CEO of TMC, and his sympathy and that of his organization for the cruel and dangerous doctor.
Mr. Jalloh, what about the young and innocent boy who was blackmailed, abused and molested sexually? Who supports the young boy? Is he not a GIMSA member? The group that you’ve spent this last decade of your life fighting for. What about the family of the young boy? Since you are more worried about the family of the alleged criminal. What if he was your brother, will you visit the doctor and campaign for him as you said you are doing now? Was the doctor using his affluence and status in a predominantly illiterate Muslim community to satisfy his sexual desire? What if the alleged criminal was an old and poor Fulani farmer? Was your anti-gay demonstration against poor or Christian gay? Since Dr. Ali-Gabass is an exception, because he supported your organization and GIMSA financially.
Tawheed Media Concept and it founder could have done better by not meddling in the gay doctor’s sexual molestation issue than coming out to support him. Condemning him in one breath and praising him the next second is hypocrisy of the highest standard and an insult to the boy and his family. TMC must unconditionally apologize to the 16yrs old boy’s family and to Ghanaian for misleading us about their stance on gays and lesbians. I will never praise Dr Ali-Gabass as smart guy, but rather agree with a friend who called him an educated fool. The poor boy, who is still lying on a sick bed in the hospital, needs the support of all, and none for the alleged criminal. If Allah (SAW) can do what he did to the people of Prophet Lot, who are you to canvass support for a gay.
If Mr. Jalloh, who is a friend and a brother, will heed to my advice, I will urge him to apologize to the family of the boy for the distasteful interview he granted supporting the gay doctor and cease any further comment on this issue. He may have founded TMC, but it’s bigger than him today. It’s the voice of thousands of young Muslim whom he has let down. But I know he can pick up the pieces. The 16yrs old boy might be the tip of the iceberg. There could be other innocent boys who might have fallen prey to the doctor’s seduction. TMC should rather use all it resources to call on all whom might have had any sexual encounters to come forward for a HIV test. The victims should be promised confidentiality. I hope the Zongo elders and TMC would not in any way try to compromise this case now that it is in the hands of the police. They must also cease with immediate effect the pressure being exerted on the boy’s family to have the case settled at home, as it’s being rumored. Some of us will follow this case to its logical conclusion.
Muhammed Suraj Sulley Jawando (LRT)
New York, USA