On Thursday November 12, 2020 Ghana was shaken by the sudden demise of Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings, former President of the Republic.

The shock and pain of the loss of a husband, father and champion of the masses was very heavy to bear and is indeed still a difficult pill for many to swallow.

Today marks three years of the loss of a man who endeared himself to millions in our country Ghana, our continent Africa, and across the world.

Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings stood for selflessness and a rare form of candour. He was a strong man whose approach to leadership has redefined what we ought to espouse as leaders regardless of our fields. His courageous hands-on style of leadership, juxtaposed with his understanding and appreciation of the struggles of the common man defined his raison d’etre right throughout his life.

As we mark the third year of the loss of President Rawlings, we remember him as ‘A MAN OF THE PEOPLE’. He was a soldier’s soldier; a patriot; a fighter for The People. 

Jerry John Rawlings loved his country deeply.

He remained boldly steadfast in his position on political and social issues that affected Ghana and other countries within our continent. 

As President and former President, he never paused in his desire to help the underprivileged or distressed as in the cases of Buruli ulcer in the 1990s and the memorable photograph of him standing knee deep in flood waters at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle. We cannot forget how one June 4 morning he cut short the celebration to visit the site of the June 3, 2015 disaster, also at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle.

As the JJ Rawlings Foundation and Family, we join all Ghanaians whose lives were impacted by President Jerry John Rawlings, to celebrate his memory. To celebrate his selflessness and make a call to Ghanaians to revive the spirit of nationalism and love for country above personal pursuits and political bias. 

Jerry Rawlings stood for integrity, probity, accountability, equity and transparency. Let us reflect on his lifetime of dedication to these ideals, and embody them in our daily lives.

As we celebrate the memory of Chairman Rawlings, we pray that we will unite as a people to lift high the image of our country, pursuing Ghana’s socio-economic revival and development with selflessness and purposeful devotion.

JJ Rawlings joined the ancestors on November 12, 2020. May his spirit continue to watch over Ghana.

Sompaonline.com/Nana Yaw Boamah