Rawlings' Intimidating Powers have come to an End

....to Kill Nana Agyemang Konadu's Political Dreams

Yes, Ghana did undergo two violent revolutions erroneously fed to the populace as "The People's Revolution" under the leadership of Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings. It will be recalled that Rawlings and his selected few military personnel with a hidden agenda, but a summary motive to enrich themselves staged two consecutive successful coup d'états in Ghana. Their first usurpation of power was on 4th June 1979 when the Supreme Military Council II (SMC II) under the Late General Akuffo was violently overthrown by the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) commandeered directly or indirectly by Rawlings. The second was on 31st December 1981 when the Late Dr. Hilla Limann's P.N.P government was as well sabotaged by Rawlings. Rawlings so convincingly hyped up the problems, thus, the usual correct or perceived acts of corruption on the part of the government, the weak leadership as was being exhibited by Limann etc, to get other weak-minded military men to his camp to overthrow the then Civilian administration in place. He replaced Limann's government with his Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) military government. In both instances, he claimed to have staged the People's Revolution.

I am here to point out to Rawlings and my fellow Ghanaians that though he carried out revolutions, they were neither initiated by the governed nor were they in the greater interest of the public. Therefore those military uprisings initiated and executed by a few military personnel, and finally imposed on their entire colleagues and the Ghanaian public were never the People's Revolution but a sectional military usurpation of power. The revolutions in the end came to prove many people right that those lanky hungry soldiers had come to satisfy their selfish aspirations as epitomized by their leader, Flt. Lt. J.J. Rawlings.

What then is a revolution which in my estimation could be said to be the People's Revolution? Instances will be given shortly but before then I will define a revolution. A revolution is an overthrow or repudiation and the thorough replacement of an established government or political system by the people governed. A People's popular revolution was the French revolution of 1789 which was initiated by the commoners who had a hard life under the French feudal lords. This revolution is as ancient to any person walking the surface of the earth presently as it was laudable then. Luckily, we have a wave of ongoing People's revolutions of which we all bear witness. Less than two months ago, the entire world witnessed a spontaneous reaction of hitherto a suppressed population going on peaceful nationwide demonstration to depose their autocratic or dictatorial President and his government. This recent people's revolution took place in Tunisia, a country in North Africa. Barely had the Tunisians got their President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali ousted when Egypt embarked on a similar path to get rid of President Muhammad Hosni Sayyid Mubarak.

The urge for change whereby the people anticipate extricating themselves from the grips of dictators is sweeping across the Arab world. The torch of change is changing hands as does the Olympic torch. As I write, the torch has been passed to the Libyans who are doing whatever they can to get rid of their dictator President, Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi also known as Colonel Gaddafi. Gaddafi has been in power since 1969 when he staged a bloodless coup d'état against King Idris while he was in Turkey for medical treatment. Same agitations for freedom from the repressive hands of dictators are sweeping across Bahrain, Algeria and Yemen. These are classical examples of people's revolutions where the masses themselves are moved spontaneously to act in unison without any instigation by soldiers or whoever.

Do the Rawlings' selfishly executed murderous revolutions compare with these? No! Now, the Arabs are proving beyond doubt how only strong institutions can survive the test of harsh times but not strong persons. Was not Rawlings the best of friends with Gaddafi? Did he not copy oppressive ideas from Gaddafi by the implementation of the contents of his revolutionary Green Book?

Truly, things are falling apart, the centre cannot hold. All dictators are lined up for fall like a pack of playing cards. Do the recent developments tell Rawlings and the wife anything? Do they understand that the end of their baseless intimidations, uncouth behaviour and assumed air of superiority are coming to an end? If they don't, I am seizing this opportunity to tell them they are now history. The recent developments in the Arab world could not have come at any better time to nail the dreams of Mrs Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings in the bud. Their dreams of ever riding on intimidations to rule Ghana again have come to an abrupt end, I should think. The Rawlingses must be fidgeting big time, thanks to the courageous Tunisians who have actually belled the cat.

Mrs Nana Agyemang Konadu Rawlings is advised to save her money without wasting it on fruitless adventurous electioneering campaign. The intended savour of her campaign message has been removed remotely by the ongoing events in the Arab world. Happily, Ghanaians will no longer be tormented by any self-made monster shrouded in Constitutional Immunity gear.

A word to my sister, Mrs Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings may not be enough. That said, I have done my gospel best.

Will Ghanaians emulate the Arabs when any single individual or group of individuals decide to terrorise them? NDC leggy or footy soldiers, please take note. There is time for everything. There is an end to everything. Your rudeness, intimidations and one-man or group showmanship will all come to an end. Whoever thought there could be such fast-sweeping radical changes in the Arab world in a twinkle of an eye but there are.

More grease to the elbows of the Tunisians who have led the way, and pointed to the path of peaceful demonstrations able to chase out the dictator like a frightened dog with the tail tucked in-between his/her legs.

Rockson Adofo