I want to be like Rawlings – Van Vicker

Actor, Van Vicker has fallen in love with the personality of Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings who celebrated his 70th birthday on Thursday, 22 June 2017 and wishes to follow the footsteps of the former president of Ghana.

According to Van Vicker, the founder of National Democratic Congress (NDC) is one loved by many for a number of reasons, including his charisma and body language.

He told Ghanaweb on the sidelines of the premier of ‘Damaged Goods’, a play by renowned playwright and motivational speaker, James Ebo Whyte at the National Theatre in Accra, that he is always inspired by the achievements of Ghana’s longest serving president.

“I think Papa J is one of the greatest leaders Ghana has ever had. The way he speaks… He can sell you pig in a bag. The media just love his utterances. This is a man whose presence alone says a thousand words. Without saying a single word, he appears and he has said so many things by just looking at him. Can I say I want to be like him? He inspires me in so many different ways. Who knows? I’m walking in your footsteps,” he noted.



Rawlings initially came to power as a flight lieutenant of the Ghana Air Force following a coup d'état in 1979. After he had initially handed power over to the civilian government of the late Hilla Limann, he took back control of the country on 31 December, 1981 as the chairman of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC).

In 1992, Rawlings resigned from the Armed Forces, founded the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and became the first president of the Fourth Republic.

He was re-elected in 1996 for an additional four years. He is married to Nana Konadu Agyeman and has three daughters – Zanetor, Yaa Asantewaa, Amina – and a son, Kimathi.

Rawlings was the Special Guest at the premier of ‘Damaged Goods’.