How did `Junior Jesus` become a

Three decades ago, when Rawlings burst into the Ghanaian political scene, the social conditions were ultra fertile to receive any seed whether it was temperate or tropical. It was a time that Ghanaians were clinging unto a straw. 'Kalabule', the famous euphemistic Ghanaian word for corruption was immortalised at this period.

The creation of the oil spot market and the 1973 oil crisis, sparked by the Yom Kippur War, had brought the national economy to its knees. Our leaders at the time, Acheampong and his lieutenants, were caught by the wrong foot and had no clue to the shock waves that took over the world economy and for that matter Ghana.

The only thing they could offer was 'Operation Feed Yourself', which was remarkably successful but died a natural death like many government projects that have turned into white elephants littered across the length and breadth of the country.

Seven years of pent-up frustration under military rule got the heartbeat of the country pulsing for a redeemer. The mood was anything but SMC2. It was under such circumstances that the May 15 putsch became a reality. The trial of Rawlings endeared him to the nation as a result of his pronouncements, chief among them, taking responsibility and exonerating his comrades in arms.

As his statements at his trial trickled through and entered into the national consciousness the follow up coup d'état that released him from prison to head the June 4th Movement was a fait accompli and he was received by the nation as de-facto leader.

Handing over power after three month at the helms was magical and electrifying. It was reminiscent of George Washington handing over the control of his troops to Congress after the American war of independence.

This action dulled the senses of most Ghanaians and bought into his house cleaning mantra that took the lives of eight military leaders including three heads of state.

So when he came back in 31st December 1981 with the tired old excuse of corruption, Ghanaians believed him whole-heartedly. His popularity rose to dizzying heights to the extent that idealistic students on Ghanaian university campuses clamoured for more blood.

Besides the PR campaign of working his hands raw in desilting gutters and laying of railway tracks etc., certain unforeseen events like the repatriation of more than a million Ghanaians from Nigeria, the bushfires and the resultant famine, the triumph of the national football team in Tripoli to mention just a few helped to solidify his grip on power.

They say the history of the world is the biography of great men. But sometimes it is events that shape certain great men. Winston Churchill, for example, would have been nobody without the World War II.

The organisation and the logistics that went into the reception and the settlement of the one million Ghanaians from Nigeria was what made Rawlings. Apparently it was during those trying times that his initials were transformed to Junior Jesus with songs of praise that echoed Akan Christian spirituals. He could literally walk on water at this point in time and perhaps the adulation and the Ghanaian love affair with him went into his head and he lost it spectacularly.

He might not have pulled the trigger or set the light that burnt those well accomplished judges that were abducted from their homes and brutally murdered under the cover of darkness. But the fact still remains that it was under his stewardship that the rule of law was compromised for such a heinous crime to be committed.

When his popularity was at high noon he forgot that the very people who said hosanna were the same people who shouted crucify him. There is an Akan proverb, which literally states that wisdom is not a preserve of one person. Obviously there is no way Rawlings could have known that he doesn't speak Twi very well.

He took everybody by surprise with an answer he gave in an interview, which in my opinion is one of the greatest political blunders of his colourful life. It alienated him from even some of his die-hard supporters.

He was asked when he was going to hand over power, which he answered in a derisory and condescending fashion that beggars imagination. 'To whom!' He replied.

In effect he was suggesting that there was no single person in the country at the time who was capable of steering the affairs of the nation. It was a psychological war he waged against Ghanaians out of misguided anger.

One of his most dramatic claims when he came back was Ghanaian hospitals were death traps. On the other hand it was very difficult not to think that he left them as graveyards.

The so called corruption that caused the lives of eight military leaders became endemic and practised with demonic vengeance during his nineteen years reign. It epitomised the mindset of those who want to create heaven on earth – the illusive perfect society, which only exist in Francis Bacon's world.

With time, political commentators begun to question the essence of the1979 atrocities and the brutalities of the 80s.

So when the curtain came down the fear of revenge became his bread and butter. He knew that he couldn't justify the pain that he inflicted, especially, the innocent people who were caught in the crossfire.

He was therefore left with nothing but to defend himself and we know that the best form of defence is attack, which he has perfected ever since he handed over power to his political adversaries.

On the other hand what has caused the raising of eye braw is the character it has assume after his own party took over the reigns of power. The tirade, threats and the ultimatum, which has become the lot of the Mills administration leaves much to be desired.

For those who can dust off their historical records, it is eerily familiar to the build up to the over throw of the Limann administration. Ghanaians have every reason to be weary of this serial coup plotter.

However, he is a private citizen and has got every right to voice his opinion. Meeting with military leaders and inspecting airplane hanger is not a big deal. After all he is an ex-president.

Even in the U.S. ex-president have intelligent briefing as their prerogative. Unfortunately Rawlings is not an ordinary ex-president. He is a polarising figure due to his past record.

Those who love him do so to the grave and those who hate him tap into the core of their being. So he got to weigh all his baggage before he speaks. And this is a personal appeal to the ex-president that each time he opens his mouth he should think about the larger society not just the ubiquitous poor man he claims to speak for.

He needs to be reminded that he had nineteen years of national life to fix things, which he failed judging by his own standards.