The head of the Yoruba Community in the Ashanti Region, Chief Alhaji Ahmed Rufai Ali Alao III, has died at the age of 57. He was pronounced dead upon reaching the Manhyia District Hospital, Kumasi on Friday, September 10, 2021 after a brief illness and was buried the same day according to Islamic injunctions at Tafo Cemetery. The Janaza (prayers) was held at the Kumasi Central Mosque and officiated by the Ashanti Regional Chief Imam, Sheikh Abdul Mumin Haroun under the auspices of Ashanti Regional Zango Chief, Sultan Omar Farouk Saeed.

The late Alhaji Ahmed Rufai Ali Alao III, was the second in command in the Zango community in the Zango hierarchy of the Ashanti Region. He was the deputy for the Ashanti Regional Zango Chief for quite a long time and had been acting in the absence of the Zango Chief intermittently for the past five years due to Zango Chief’s ill health.

Ali Alao III, was an Islamic Scholar, a local Chief as well as a businessman. He left behind a wife and 5 children. The final funeral rites will be announced on Monday at the three days prayer to be held at Yoruba Palace, Alabar-Manhyia in the Ashanti Region.

A brief history about late Alhaji Ahmed Rufai Ali Alao III

• He was enstooled as Kumasi Yuroba Chief on May 1, 2008 and died 10th September 2021.
• Alhaji Ahmed Rufai Ali Alao III was the son of late Chief Yoruba of Kumasi, Alhaji Aliu Alao III who died in the 1970s.
• He studied at Asem Boys School and had his Islamic and Arabic at Wataniyya Amiriyya Islamic School.
• He furthered his Islamic education in Nigeria and later returned to continue studying under tutelage of his cousin Ustaz Ali Adam Amir.
• He had been a mechanic and fashion designer and settled for general trading until his demise.

He was a good leader, listener, youth development advocate humble, respectful and was loved by the Zango communities across the country. He was a reformer and has used any platform he had to preach unity, tolerance and development. Chief Rufai led did not only serve the Kumasi Yoruba Community he urged togetherness and had been the number one advocate of their interest.

Source: WadataOnline/Muhammed Faisal Mustapha