Ali Mazrui urges Ghanaians to commend Rawlings

Professor Ali Mazrui, a renowned African International Cultural Historian and Political Scientist, on Wednesday called on Ghanaians to commend former President Jerry John Rawlings for relinquishing power honourably without manipulating the system in his favour.

He said the political development in Zimbabwe attested to the fact that the former president should be held in honour for not doing what President Robert Mugabe has shamelessly done to entrench himself in power.

Prof. Mazrui made the call in the last of three lectures organised by the University of Ghana, Legon in memory of Aggrey, Fraser and Guggisberg for the their contributions to national development.

The theme for the lecture was: "Nkrumah's Legacy and Africa's Triple Heritage, in the Shadow of Globalisation and Counter-Terrorism." The sub-topic for the final lecture was: "Nkrumahism and Africa's Triple Heritage, Out of the Shadow". He reiterated that Rawlings begun his political carrier as a dictator and went through five processes to end as a democrat.

"Rawlings begun with a coup in 1979, came back with military take-over in 1981, won power through the ballot box in 1992 and again in 1996 and stepped down in 2000 without manipulating the system to his personal or his party's advantage," he said.

Unlike Rawlings, Mugabe defied threats of sanctions and possible suspension of his country by the international community and manipulated the electoral process to his advantage.

Prof Mazrui noted that Mugabe curtailed press freedom and bared foreign observers, caused the military to declare that there would be chaos if the opposition won the elections and openly intimidated his opponents. He said: "There was no reason Rawlings could not have done the same; but he simply did not do it."

"Not only did Rawlings step down from power, but he allowed the electoral process to be transparent to the extend that his own party was defeated in the 2000 elections.'' Professor Ali Mazrui noted that some African leaders such as Arap Moi of Kenya had entrenched their positions and defied all odds to remain in power.

He said: "Rawlings spared Africa another regime of dictatorship with his honourable gesture, whilst Mugabe was bent on tarnishing the image of the Africa as the continent with too many dictators."

Prof Mazrui admonished Rawlings to remain gracious and honourable and to stay out of politics and called on other African leaders to behave as such after leaving office.

He observed that Africa has great leaders contributing to the development of the international community, citing Kofi Anan, Boutrous Ghali and Nelson Mandela, but said the shadows of poverty and disease persisted on the continent.

"It would take the concerted efforts of both Africans at home those in the Diaspora to move the continent from its socio-economic and political woes into the desired development," Prof Mazrui noted.

The renowned African International Cultural Historian said: "We must create more pull-in conditions in African to ensure that experts and professionals stayed and worked in the continent."

Turning to Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's first President, Prof Mazrui observed: "He started as a democrat and ended as dictator. Nkrumah was a great African but not a great Ghanaian."

He explained that Nkrumah's stature as a pan-Africanist was unequal but his political stance in the country was not the best and cited the passage of the Prevention Detention Act, which kept his political opponents in prison.

Prof Akilakpa Sawyerr, former vice-chancellor of the University of Ghana, Legon, who presided, praised Dr Kwame Nkrumah for his contribution to educational, health and infrastructural development in the country. He said even if Nkrumah's domestic political record might not have been good his commitment to development was unquestionable.