allAfrica.com: Sierra Leone: Culture Minister Says Ayatollah Khomeini Was an Inspirational Leader (Page 1 of 1)

Sierra Leone: Culture Minister Says Ayatollah Khomeini Was an Inspirational Leader

The minister of tourism and culture Hindolo Trye has described the late Imam Khomeini founder of the Islamic revolution as an inspirational leader.

Speaking on the 19th anniversary of the demise of the great leader at the Miatta Conference Hall, Youyi Building in the capital Freetown on June 3,the minister compared Imam Khomeini to other great leaders like; Kwame Nkruma of Ghana, Sekou Toure of Guinea, Samoura Machael of Mozambique, Nelson Mandela of South Africa and Mahatma Ghandi of India.

The theme of the one-day seminar marking the anniversary was, "The role of Imam Khomeini in awakening oppressed nations." Amidst a thunderous applause, he urged every Sierra Leonean to imbibe the virtues of Imam Khomeini. He said the late man's ideas are a motivation for self-reliance, solidarity and progress. According to him, if sierra Leoneans imbibe the late man's virtues, the country would move from a down trodden position in the world ladder ,to a remarkable economic level.

A journalist Alpha Jalloh declared that the founding of the Islamic revolution should from henceforth be referred to as "the birth of Islamic Democracy" and the country should be referred to as the "Democratic Islamic Republic of Iran. He said if the concept of democracy is to be taken into philosophical perception, the so-called "political Islam" should be regarded as a democratic Islam because it embraces the tenets of democracy. 'If it is argued and proved that not all the tenets are adhered to, then it gives justification for a distinct classification because all the tenets of liberal democracy could not be embraced because Islamic doctrines discard them. But if the elements of democracy are within the set, then it is a democracy and hence we can refer to it as "Islamic democracy" so as to distinguish it from other democracies in other parts of the world. Jalloh said prior to the emergence of Islamic Democracy, the world was polarized by the ideologies of Communism and Capitalist Democracy. "But the emergence of Islamic Democracy brought a turning point in world history. Many embraced it because its dictates were in consonance with the religion they practiced unlike other democracies which took them time to comprehend and inculcate their tenets.

He added that for downtrodden nations caught between the two alien ideologies, they had a rethink of politics and took in different dimension in redesigning their national destiny.

The chancellor of the Iranian Cultural Consulate Mohamed Reza Ghezel Sofla described the late Imam Khomeini as an erudite personality. He said he championed the cause of the poor, the oppressed and the voiceless, adding that his ideas continue to be transmitted from generation to generation. "Imam Khomeini's value could only be appreciated when we read his works", he said. He added: "His statements and guidelines are still instructive".

Sofla stated that Imam Khomeini's ideology transformed the minds of the Iranians and made them very creative. "It made them to be self reliant on to this day", he said.

"Imam Khomeini had always stressed that third world countries enjoy the potential for progress", he said.

Mr.Sofla also told the crowd from different parts of the country that Imam Khomeini during his lifetime had exhorted people to live modest lives. "The Imam's ideology is still in the minds of people" The Iranian ambassador to Sierra Leone Mr. N. Maliki said, "We can still observe the positive effects of his deeds". He claimed that Imam Khomeini was averse to tyranny and narrow mindedness.

The president of the National Union of Muslim Students, Hassan kargo said the late Ayatollah played a great role in improving education in Iran. He described him as an "emancipator of the oppressed people". He declared; "No people can effect a change in ignorance".

The chief Imam of the Freetown Central Mosque and director of the Jafaria Organization Sheikh Ahmad Tejan Sillah described Imam Khomeini as a "shepherd". "He lived a modest life which we must all imbibe", he said.

The principal of the International Institute in Freetown Mr. Ahmad Ali Ghanee also spoke on the virtues of the late Ayatollah.

The Amir of the Ahmadiyya Mission in Sierra Leone described Imam Khomeini as a great personality who brought freedom, liberty to the Iranian people.

Speakers from different organizations also made contributing and eulogizing speeches.

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