Publishers and Editor of the Advocate Newspaper have apologized unreservedly to Sheikh Saeed Abubakar Zakaria, leader of the Ambariya Sunni community in Tamale for a publication that caused him disaffection in the eyes of the public.
In a release issued and signed by the Editor of The Advocate, Kassim Perez, it stated that in its December 2020 edition, the paper carried a peace message purported to have emanated from Sheikh Saeed, leader of the Ambariya Sunni Community in the Northern Region.
Part of the message titled “election 2020, Accept the Results,” had claimed that Sheikh Saeed among other things asked readers to “Accept the results as it is.”
“The Advocate hereby states empathetically that Sheikh Saeed never made such a statement and the paper never contacted him much more for the Islamic cleric to have made such remarks.”
The statement explained that the emissaries sent by the paper to seek audience with Sheikh Saeed never did that, which meant that the purported statement was a fabrication by the paper.
The publishers and editor of The Advocate therefore apologized unreservedly to Sheikh Saeed for any damage the publication must have caused his enviable reputation as a high headed and erudite Muslim scholar of credible standing.
The paper said they are aware of his large following and ask the Ambariya Sunni Community for forgiveness for the embarrassment the publication has caused them and are ready, any day to cooperate with them to promote peace and collaboration with the Ambariya Institute to forester education in the Northern Region.
The release further adds that the Advocate in a special edition, will carry same apology to Sheikh Saeed and the Ambariya Sunni Community.
Below is the press release by The Advocate in full:
PRESS STATEMENT
For immediate release
December 12, 2020
APOLOGY TO SHEIKH SAEED ABUBAKAR ZAKARIA AND THE AMBARIYA SUNNI COMMUNITY
The ADVOCATE newspaper is a development-focused monthly publication based in Tamale. Its mission is to amplify the voices of the excluded and marginalized in Northern Ghana. It has lived up to this mission since its establishment in 2000.In its December 2020 edition,it carried a peace message purported to have emanated from Sheikh Saeed Abubakar Zakaria, leader of the Ambariya Sunni Community in the Northern Region.Part of the message titled “Election 2020, Accept the Results”, claimed that Sheikh Saeed, among other things, asked readers to “Accept the results as it is.”The ADVOCATE hereby states, emphatically, that Sheik Saeed never made such a statement. The paper never contacted Sheikh Saeed much more for him to make such remarks.The emissaries sent by the paper to seek audience with Sheikh Saeed never did that, which means the purported statement was a fabrication by the paper.
We, the publishers and editor of the paper, apologize unreservedly to Sheikh Saeed for any damage the publication must have caused his enviable reputation as a level-headed and erudite Muslim Scholar of credible standing.We are also aware of his large following and ask the Ambariya Sunni Community to forgive us for the embarrassment the publication must have caused them.We wish to add that we are ready, any day, to co-operate with the Ambariya Sunni Community to promote peace and collaborate with the Ambariya Institute to foster education in the Northern Region.We hope Sheikh Saeed and the Ambariya Sunni Community would accept this supplication in good faith.This release will be published in a special edition of The ADVOCATE.
Kassim PEREZ
Editor, The ADVOCATE
