The Mosque Studies Center - Between 10,000 to 15,000 people from all over Guinea, ECOWAS member countries and Europe attended on Friday the commissioning of the Fatako mosque, considered the largest of its kind the country.Built by the Guinean State with a cost estimated at CFA 3.6 billion francs between August 2011 and early 2016, the mosque has a capacity to accommodate 6000 worshippers.
Based in Fatako, the sub-prefecture in the heart of Fouta Jalon, at 45 km from Tougue, the capital and 65 km from Labé, the regional capital, the mosque was built by the rich businessman, Elhadj Ousmane Balde, who hails from that area.
The residents of the locality, the delegations of the West African sub-region, politicians, religious scholars, have all flocked to the small sub-prefecture Fatako to witness the opening of the architectural gem.
However the Guinean government and the administrative authorities boycotted the event.
Cellou Dalein Diallo, head of the Guinean opposition, former dignitaries as Ahmed Tidiane Souare, former Guinean Prime Minister, Henriette Conte, the former First Lady were part of the inauguration.
According to the organizing committee, at least four thousand guests have joined the sub-prefecture of Fatako on the eve of the festivities, while other attendees had been constrained to sleep in nearby towns like Labe, Pita, Dalaba and Mamou.
In his speech, Dalein Diallo, lauded the initiative of Elhadj Ousmane Baldé and called for the opening of an Islamic university to be associated with the mosque in a bid to spread the Islamic knowledge in the area.
Star Africa