Ghana Day #46:
Eid Mubarak

 

Earlier this week, my colleagues mentioned today was a public holiday.

 

I assumed they meant for our Muslim brothers and sisters, who would be celebrating Eid.

 

But as the week went by, more and more people mentioned their plans for the long weekend.

 

A wondered whether anyone else had noticed the quick conversion rate in our office…

 

Back home lesser-spotted Christians and Muslims have been known to come out of the Religion Closet around Ascension day and Eid.

 

So I have seen it all before.

 

But I was wrong (yet again).

 

_______________________

 

In Ghana today is a public holiday for everybody.

 

At the end of a workshop, I attended yesterday, we all gathered at the bar for a quick drink.

 

(Guinness for the drinkers, Guinness Malta for the non-drinkers.) (Did I mention it was a GGBL workshop – Guinness Ghana Breweries Ltd?)

 

I asked my colleague Sika whether it has always been customary for everyone to celebrate Eid.

 

“The Muslims celebrate Christmas with us. We celebrate Eid with them.”

 

Ghana has amazed me yet again.

 

I am going to make WWGD bracelets ( See Day#43 ) for all the religious groups back home.

 

_______________________

 

So today, I decided to take my non-Muslim self somewhere Muslim.

 

And what could be more Muslim than the biggest mosque in Western Africa?

 

Nima Central Mosque.

 

What a beautiful, majestic building.

 

It is not completed yet, so I could not go inside.

 

But while the Uber driver, Israel – could this get any more poetic – waited for me and the foot traffic side-stepped around me, I closed my eyes.

And I prayed for a world where we could all celebrate together.

 

“Eid Mubarak to each of you.”