Islam and Politics In The Northern Region: Focus On The Tijaniyya And The Ahlu-Sunna Sects In Tamale

Abstract

Like the national level, the dominant political parties in the Northern Region are the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP). The two dominant Islamic sects in the Tamale Metropolis in the Northern Region are the Ahlu-sunnas and the Tijaniyyas. Interestingly, under the Fourth Republic, most Ahlu-sunnas have aligned themselves with NDC whiles most Tijaniyyas have been affiliated with the NPP. This study sets out to investigate both the historical and contemporary reasons for these entrenched political affiliations by the two Islamic sects with the two leading political parties in the country. The study adopts the mix research approach where quantitative and qualitative methods were employed; 120 questionnaires were administered to 120 participants in a survey, interviews and focus group discussions were also organized in the Tamale Metropolis. The findings indicate that, the historical reason for these alignments is deeply rooted in the Dagbon chieftaincy matters. The contemporary reasons were the death of Ya Na Yakubu Andani II in 2002 and the use of sensitive issues and cheap campaigns by politicians in Tamale. This phenomenon has militated against competent politicians who would have contributed tremendously to the democratic and socio-economic development of the Region. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh