‘People didn’t know how kind Rawlings was’ - Teary Gerald Annan pays homage

Founding member of the Ghana Union of Professional Photographers (GUPP), Gerald Annan Forson, has established that former President Jerry John Rawlings was one of the kindest souls he has ever encountered.

Speaking to GhanaWeb after signing the late JJ Rawlings’s book of condolence, Mr. Annan Forson said despite the fact that the former president was very emotional, he was also extremely kind.

“People don’t know he is very kind. He gets very emotional about things sometimes and loses his cool but he is a very kind person. Also, he doesn’t want to be lied to,” he stated.

Recounting his fondest memories with the late Rawlings, Mr. Gerald Forson recalled how he almost chewed “KpaKposhito” (Pepper) during dinner at the castle with the Rawlingses because he left his spectacles at home and couldn’t exactly see what he was eating.

“I went to take photographs of them once at the castle and was invited for dinner. Although I was shy, he insisted. I sat at the table without my glasses and after dishing out my food, he asked me what I’ll drink and I said water. After taking my first bite of the food, there was pepper in it but then I wasn’t wearing my glasses so I couldn’t see. Only for me to be told that it was kpakposhito. They were all laughing and that was my greatest memory with him,” he said.

According to Mr. Annan Forson, the former president’s death came as a shock to him because their friendship lasted for 60 years.

“His death hit me very badly. The news was a shock. It’s not easy okay. I’ve known him for over 60 years and in fact, we went to the same school first in 1954 and then we went to Achimota together and left there in 1966. I worked with him at a time. For 20 years I was with him, doing some of their family photography. I was his friend, we left school together,” he sadly recounted.