The recipient of this year’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Award for Peace and Social Justice, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, has asked Ghanaians and people all over the world, to embrace diversity and not make it a justification for conflict.
“Allah says he created us in our diversities particularly with respect to our colors. That he is the one who is the architect behind our diversity. And by his will, he puts us into races, different races, different tribes and different communities.
“And for what reason? He did that so that in our diversities we would recognize each other’s values. And not because we have to be at each other’s throat,” the national Chief Imam of Ghana, said as he received the ninth Martin Luther King, Jr. Award for Peace and Social Justice in Accra on Thursday August 25.
The award, an initiative of the United States Embassy in Accra has been in existence since 2008.
The U.S. Embassy presents a Ghanaian citizen who they find personifies the philosophy and actions of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The awardees over the past nine years have been activists who promote social justice, stability, human rights and peace through nonviolent methods.
Giving the award on Thursday, the United States ambassador to Ghana, Robert Jackson said he was honored to an individual whose efforts foster peace among all Ghanaians and not just Muslims.
Sheikh Sharubutu has over the past two decades contributed to fostering good relations among religious sects in Ghana.
He preaches peace and has often contributed significantly to numerous development projects in many communities in across the country.
Receiving the award the chief Imam urged Ghanaians “not to be in perpetual conflict, constant dissipation and not to be in disagreements unnecessarily”.
According to him, “Allah makes reference to the fact that we all have a common religion. The differences of our colors, our cultures and pride cannot be a reason for conflicts.
It should rather lead us to complement each other and to understand each other’s values and that helps us to be able to leave in peace and harmony.”
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