Gratitude To Those Who Made The Third Republic Possible

I take this opportunity of the day of the Installation of Dr. HILLA LIMANN as the 2nd Executive President of Ghana on 24th September 1979 to express profound gratitude to the exemplary patriotism, bravery, and forbearance of retired Major Kojo Boakye-Djan and Captain Baah-Achamfour for their steadfastness against the sectional assault on keeping to the return-to-civilian-rule timetable.

It was the two who masterminded the holding of national elections in the testy days of June 1979 and the transfer of power from the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) led by Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings to elected President Hilla Limann.

The intrigues and pressure for Rawlings to hang on to power was great but Boakye-Djan and Achamfour outsmarted the midnight advisors prodding Rawlings on not to handover power they have long sought for which was now within their grab.

Please join me in eternal salute to these two gallant military officers who kept to the injunctions of Nkrumah that if circumstances forced the armed forces to intervene they must quickly organise elections to return the country to civilian rule. The salute also goes to all those "men" who answered to their command.

Join me also to wish Osahene Boakye-Djan a birthday full of joy and happiness.

Akyaaba Addai-Sebo

Independent Consultant on Peacemaking and Nation Building