Once upon a time on the political history of Ghana, there emerged a young brave junior rank military officer who led a group of junior rank officers to take political power by coup from the perceived corrupt Supreme Military Council under the chairmanship of Lt. Gen. F. W. K. Akuffo.
On 4th June 1979, the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council under the chairmanship of Flt. Lt. J. J. Rawlings staged a successful coup to overthrow the senior rank military officers (SMC). The AFRC justified their coup on grounds of corrupt practices that have become the main features of the SMC regime. Few days after the successful coup, Rawlings embarked on what he termed a “House Cleaning Exercise” – thus, on 16th and 22nd June, the leadership of the SMC together with some former coup makers became victims to death by firing squad at the command of the AFRC leadership.
Gen. I. K. Acheampong, Gen. Afrifa, Lt. Gen. I. K. Akuffo, Utuka, Amedome were some famous men who were executed through firing squad. The execution by firing bullets, all you could hear the supporters of the coup makers was “Let the blood flow”. May their souls Rest in Peace.
After three months reign of the AFRC, thus on 24th September 1979, the AFRC handed over the mantle of governance into the hands of the democratic elected government of the People’s National Convention under the stewardship of Dr. Hilla Limann.
After two years and three months, thus on 31st December 1981, the chairman of the then AFRC made an anticlockwise movement to stage a second successful coup to overthrow Limann’s PNC. Rawlings justified his return with the corruption that had characterized Limann’s PNC as well as the internal power struggle. It is worth noting that the late Professor Kofi Awoonor justified the 31st December coup as “Profitable” because according to him, Limann’s government broke the faith of Ghanaians.
Rawlings was seen as the return of the Messiah hence gained the popular attribute “Junior Jesus”.
The only difference between the senior Jesus and the junior lies on the fact that the senior came for redemption of corrupt souls whilst on the contrary the later (junior) came for the persecution and execution of those he deemed as “corrupt”.
Rawlings – Junior Jesus is the founder of the governing NDC. It is worthy to note that Rawlings gained the trust of Ghanaians with the mantra “Probity and Accountability”. What many Ghanaians are asking today is whether the NDC under John Mahama is the same NDC founded by Junior Jesus? Ghanaians also want to know whether “probity and accountability” continuous to be the founding rock of NDC? Above all, Ghanaians are asking whether Junior Jesus is alive.
In the two successful coup staged by the founder of NDC – Rawlings, many Ghanaians suffered brutality, some lost their lives, some got their property ceased, some got lashed while some flew to exile all because Rawlings perceived them as corrupt.
Rawlings desire to “fight corruption” gingered him to do everything good to him to pursue his course.
The NDC today – particularly under the watch of John Mahama, Ghanaians have seen the worst of what occurred under the SMC and PNC. Corruption has become a norm which all government officials (ministers and appointees) are practicing.
Is Junior Jesus aware of the numerous scandals that have hit his party? Is he aware of these scandals; SADA, GYEEDA, CP, AAL, Isofoton, STX, Embraer 190jet, Brazil 2014, Bus Branding, Waterville, Woyome, Nkonfem rearing saga, tree planting saga, and above all, the Mahama-Kanazoe Ford Expedition saga?
What Ghanaians want to know is that, if Amedume took a bank loan of ¢50,000 and was executed then, what must be the punishment to a man who has exchanged a nation’s contract for a Ford expedition worth US$100,000? What must be the punishment for a man who has defraud the nation of GH¢51.2 million? What must be the punishment for a team who have squandered US$33 million in the name of tree planting and US$15 million in the name of guinea fowl (Nkonfem) rearing? What must be the punishment for a minister who airlifted US$4 million to Brazil for the purchase of coconuts and love sprees at the detriment of the national football team and Ghanaians? Rawlings is known to be a man of action and for that matter, his absolute silence baffles Ghanaians.
Junior Jesus (Rawlings), if he is alive then, he must do something. Obassanjo – the former President of Nigeria publicly condemned corruption in his party under Goodluck Jonathan. Can’t Junior Jesus do same? Or Junior Jesus has interest in the rampant corrupt practices in the Mahama led NDC government? Ghanaians need to know.
Rawlings ability to publicly condemn the corruption under Mahama’s NDC will earn him a perpetual respect even after his death as the people of Burkina Faso keep hailing the ghost of Thomas Sankara.
The song we used to sing when I was a kid keeps ringing in my ears. It goes “JJ do something before you die”.
We want to hear him. We want to see his usual actions. Most of us – anti corruption crusaders look up to him. The masses are calling. The gap between the Mahama government (Mahama and his appointees) and the ordinary Ghanaians keep widening.
Ministers and government appointees keep enriching themselves from the purse of state while collapsing pro-poor policies. Junior Jesus, speak now for Ghanaians are crying.