My father was passionate about a lot of things - Zanetor Rawlings

Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, the eldest child of the late former President Jerry John Rawlings has described him as a “perfectionist”

“In many ways, I think I experienced some dimensions of him by observing him in the public domain, but privately he was passionate about things… he was a perfectionist,” she stated.

Dr Agyeman-Rawlings, who was interacting with the Ghana News Agency during a vigil in honour of the late First President of the Fourth Republic, said her father was a perfectionist, who would pick on the “strangest thing he observes so much.

“I remember when he was at the Castle, he walked up the stairs, he just turned and asked me how many steps did you count? I didn’t have an answer, but he had a way of bringing your attention to little details…”

She said the late former President had a sense of humour and that he was always cracking jokes, and, “…was purpose driven, practical and honest”.

Dr Agyeman-Rawlings, also described her mother as a disciplinary, who always ensured the right thing was done.

The state vigil, held on Sunday at the Air Force Officers Mess in Accra, formed part of a four-day state funeral, which started on Sunday with a Requiem Mass at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in honour of the late former President.

In attendance at the vigil were; Mrs Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, the wife of the late former President and their children, and Colonel Joshua Agbotui (retired), the Head of the late former President’s family.

Dignitaries at vigil include; Air Marshall Michael Sampson-Oje, a former Chief of the Defence Staff; Air Vice Marshall (AVM) Issifu Sakib Kadri, a former Commandant of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC) and AVM Frederick Bekoe, Air Officer, Special Duties, Jubilee House.

Others were; AVM Christian, Edem Kobla Dovlo, former Commandant, Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC); Major General Francis Ofori, the Commandant of KAIPTC, Rear Admiral Moses Beik-Baffour, Commandant, GAFCSC, Dr Evans Agbeme Dzikum, Chief Director, Ministry of Defence; and Commission of Police (COP) Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah, the Director-General in-charge of Welfare at the Ghana Police Service, represented the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

The rest were; Mr Victor Gbeho, a former Ambassador, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, the National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC); Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, a former Minister of Defence; and Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu, a former Minister of Defence.

Mr Fritz Baffour, a former Information Minister, who hosted the vigil described the late former President as “a very good man”.