Due to the heavy rainfall, the ancient mosque in Bole, a northwestern town in Ghana, has suffered some structural damage.
The mud roof of the Bole Mosque fell apart because it was not taken care of for a long time and had lots of termites inside.
Officials in Ghana’s museum said that an invasion of termites made the wooden rafters weak, and this caused them to collapse when there was a heavy rainstorm.
The religious site was mainly made of mud and was built during the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Authorities said the broken mosque could be fixed with help from residents familiar with its design and construction.
The people who take care of the Ghanaian museum said that people should not destroy the old mosque to make a new one.
The mosque collapsed because it was not taken care of properly and because termites ate away at it. Some people also think that using modern materials like cement for repairs and maintenance contributed to the collapse.
The Bole Mosque has a unique and special design, just like the famous Larabanga Mosque in Tamale.
It is made of mud placed on wooden poles that form a framework. Small pieces of poles that stick out are put into the supports of the mosque, which makes the mosque look special.
This building shows how Sudanese culture influenced the creation of mostly Islamic communities in northern Ghana, particularly in the Wala and Gonja states.
There are mud mosques in nearby West African countries like Mali.
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Portion of historic mosque in Ghana collapses
