Zabzugu bans Christianity

Ever since ancient town of Zabzugu, in the Northern Region became part of Ghana, Christianity has never prevailed in the town as many have abandoned it as a result of Islamic extremism.

Although some religious bodies have tried in diverse ways to propagate and establish Churches in the town, yet the push has hardly been successful. According to reports made available to THE SUN, the Islamic extremists have succeeded in indoctrinating the people into believing that Christianity is evil. Zabzugu, stands as one of the oldest towns in the Northern region with an average population of 11,269 according to the 2000 population and Housing Census.

Christianity became part of most Ghanaians with the advent of the colonialists and missionaries in the Gold Coast several donkey years ago and has relatively made huge progress on the everyday life of the individuals in society.

The Zabzugu people have rejected Christianity for reasons of Islamic extremism and rather clung on to Islam but comparatively in the countries of Libya and Egypt where Islam draws its strength, Christianity is gaining roots.

THE SUN nosed around the Embassies of America, UK, Germany, Holland, Belgium and other places and discovered that some top evangelists, pastors and prophets were trooping around for visas to travel overseas, where the foundation for Christianity is solid yet, at their domestic backyard in Ghana Christianity is fallen.

The Ghanaian renowned pastors would quickly frown upon an evangelical trip to northern Ghana to areas such as Zabzugu and its environs to preach because, their fuel cost would not be covered after the programme.

While the problem of establishing and sustaining Christianity in Zabzugu has grinded to a halt, Tatale the second biggest town in the district which belongs to BASARES has become a save haven for churches. At least BASARE’S town (Tatale ) can boast of over 30 different churches.

Mysteriously, Zabzugu is faced with a serious drought, yet the nearby town of Tatale is seeing heavy rainfalls which have compelled some Cuban doctors in the area to take the evangelical work upon themselves, by asking the people to imitate the life of the Tatale people through supporting Christianity.

Records available to THE SUN indicate that about 76 years ago, missionaries arrived at Yendi and successfully established the Assemblies of God Church which by the mercies of God, has grown to become one of the leading Pentecostal Churches in the country.

However the expectations of the missionaries over the years to capture the nearby Zabzugu, has not been successful as the church and other churches have tried in vain to establish their branches at the district capital.

“We have tried all that we could to make our presence felt at Zabzugu by establishing a branch of our church but the hostile attitude of the people towards us and the gospel, have rendered our campaign still-born,” a District Pastor of the Assemblies of God told THE SUN.

“We have not given up the fight for we still pray for the people with the hope that one day, there would be a breakthrough,” he added.

The Zabzugu/Tatale District is situated on the eastern flank of the northern region. It shares boundaries with the Republic of Togo to the East; Yendi district to the West; Nanumba and Nkwanta Districts to the South; and the Saboba/Chereponi district to the North.

Zabzugu, the district capital, is about 160 kilometres from Tamale. There are three main ethnic groups in the District and these are the Dagombas, Konkombas and Basares.

Smaller groups like the Hausas, Battors, Kotokolis, Kabres and Fulanis also live in the District.

The family is the microcosm of the people of the District where compound life incorporates many family members. Members of the family play a critical role in transmitting to the child the culture based moral values and beliefs of the family, and community.

Polygamous marriages are pronounced in the district among some ethnic groups. In times past, betrothal of girls by their parents before birth was a common practice. However such practices no longer exist in the district since it has since been abolished by the chiefs.

The Dagombas in the District celebrate the Damba, Fire and Eid festivals, whiles the Bassares and Konkombas celebrate the yam and Christmas festivals.