Here is my version of the story. I interviewed the current acting headmaster Mr.
F. Y. Asamoah, Snr. Nana Duah-Gyamfi and Snr. Kumah (both Old Boys), Mr. Sraha
and other masters on this issue on the 14th. April, 1998.
Once upon a time, there was a master in Prempah College called Alhaji Dwomoh (an
Old Boy) who is now resting in peace. This moslem master taught at Sofoline
during the time of Mr. Sackey. He was a Chrife during his Prempah days, studied
in the States and returned home as a moslem. "Al Salam Alekum!! Alekum Salam"!!
The late Alhaji Dwomoh had the interest of seeing to it that some of his
brothers in Allah attended Prempah College. There were positive catalysts which
were to speed the reaction: Louis Farakhan had visited Ghana, Dr. Dr. Flt. Lt.
(rtd) J. J. Rawlings had turned moslem festive days into national holidays and
more over the Ashanti regional Director of Education, Mr. T. A. Boateng, a one
time assistant headmaster of T. I. Ahmadiya Sec. School (Real Amass) is also a
moslem.
With the help and influence of Mr. T. A. Boateng, the late Alhaji Dwomoh tried
to get well passed moslem youths admitted at Sofoline. Alihu, Issaka, Osmanu,
Iddrissu, Yakubu, Razak, Abdulahi: "mutei Prempeh College"!!!
What happened next? Mr. Sackey was no more the headmaster and Alhaji Dwomoh is
dead. Mr. Twumasi Amponsah (Joe Expensive) is now the acting headmaster
(September `95 - December ´97). Before and after the death of Alhaji Dwomoh, the
"Moslem Premconians" worshiped Allah through the Prophet Mohamed by facing the
East just under the old library. The new acting headmaster showed me the place.
It was precisely at the entrance of the staff common room, where the night
watchmen used to sleep or where the switches of the campus lights are situated.
Nana Duah-Gyamfi told me that the scene was not all that good. The place was
always wet and some of the students left their "praying leather mats" just lying
around.
What could the authorities do? The masters had a staff meeting and decided that
the moslem students find a convenient place to communicate with the Almighty
Allah.
Where was to be found? Amanfoo, do you all know where the school carpenter´s
workshop is? I think every Amanfoo knows where this hidden place is. But the
furniture prefects must know this place better. Let me show you the place. The
road or street from Katanga down to to the school field, around the curve, on
the right side and behind the bungalow where Mr. Ansah Asare was staying in the
´70s. Near the workshop is a bungalow for the pantry boys (men). Do you remember
some of them? Abu, Shiboo, Bukari, Maama and the rest. The senior pantry man
(boy) is now over 70 years old and still living at this place.
There is a concrete structure since Mr. T.A.Osae´s (TAO) era on which the pantry
boys and other moslem workers pray to Allah five times a day. I was at this
place, I was told and shown that the Prempeh moslem students should come here
and pray to Allah and no more at the administration block. I measured this old
concrete structure and it has an area of around 18m˛.
I was told that without the knowledge of the school authorities, these moslem
students wanted to have a "porsch" and bigger praying structure. They sought for
financial support from outside, maybe from some Alhajis in town and built around
the old one a bigger structure of about 25m˛ and about 110cm high. The structure
had four woods (ntaaboo) of about two metres high at each corner. I think they
wanted to dodge the Friday afternoon sun.
The current acting headmaster, Mr. Asamoah told me that Mr.Twumasi Amponsah
confronted the moslem students after a staff meeting and stopped them from
roofing the structure, to which they adhered. I was told the rumour had already
started that the headmaster was building a mosque at the school. I made a
picture of the structure and I hope it will be seen by all very soon.
I went through the enrollment lists of Mr. Twumasi Amponsah to count the number
of moslem students he admitted during his days as the acting headmaster of
Prempeh College. He was responsible for two enrollments. These are the present
SSS 2 and SSS 3. In the SSS 2 I got 6 moslems out of 420 students. Out of the
450 students of the SSS 3, I counted 10 moslems. I did not count them from their
names, other masters were around to assist me. They knew all the moslem
students.
My part of the Prempeh College Mosque story ends!!
