Rawlings Was An Enigma

When Late President Rawlings handed over power on 7th January, terms for 2001, I was 6 years. I was born during his Democratic rule in the 4th republic.

I learnt more about the man through my late maternal grandmother, my dad, and books. Putting all these thoughts together, I see a man who is best described as an enigma.

Ghana is 63 years and Rawlings has ruled for almost 1/3 of her existence as a nation after colonial rule. He ruled this country for almost 20 years as her military leader and democratically elected president. Interestingly, he served for this country for another 20 years as a statesman.

In his time of reign, Ghana witness what many call the 'dark days'. Many people today are fatherless or motherless because of the excesses of his regime. Many lost their businesses and worth. I live few kilometers away from where Odeefou Aware was gruesomely killed by military men.

My mother recounts how women were lashed at Koforidua Jackson Park for over pricing their products or for having some amount of money on them and in the bank. He may or may not be fully responsible for all these human right abuses but as the leader of the time, many believe he should be blamed.

He did many good as a man and leader. Fighting for the ordinary people. Leading the charge for many reforms and development. In fact, he is the founder of the longest surviving republic in our nationhood, the 4th republic. The supreme document of this country, the constitution was birthed under his rule. As a person, his singular acts of handing over power on the 7th January, 2001 portrayed a man who wanted the good of his country in tranquility.

In neighboring Togo, Burkina Faso etc. we've seen and witnessed how military leaders and semi-democratic leaders have delayed the progress of their countries behaved him demi-gods and messiahs and refused to embrace democracy in its full tenet. Ghana is a beckon of democracy today because late President Rawlings left the scene when he had to. He didn’t review the constitution to extend his stay and hold on to power.

As some worshipped and called him “Junior Jesus”, some say he was the “angel of death” and “trunactor of the 3rd republic”. The man is like chalk or cheese. You either love or loathe him. Some will say he’s better than we say or worst that we say.

All these parts of the enigmatic man should be acknowledged. Many suffered under his regime. Many saw the goodness of his regime. The good and bad is what makes a man. And no man is infallible. The best judgment of him is between him and his maker. We should not stop people from subscribing to one part of the man, Rawlings because this is man who presents many interesting dynamics and intricacies.

The greatest honour to give a man is to honour and respect his ideas. In Africa, we've a society that worships the personality of men not, have no regard for their ideologies. After their death, nothing of them seem to work. For Ghana to fully benefit from him, she should embrace fully, the positives of his ideas. His ideas should leave on and not die with him. He should have a society of justice for the poor, an accountable state and a transparent republic.

May his soul rest in peace