Background
On Sunday, November 12, 2023, the JJ Rawlings Foundation and the Rawlings family remembered former President Jerry John Rawlings, who passed away three years ago. They called his death a “difficult pill to swallow.”
The unexpected death of Ghana’s previous President on Thursday, November 12, 2020, shocked the country.
In a statement that was copied to the Ghana News Agency, the Foundation and Family stated, “The shock and pain of the loss of a husband, father, and champion of the masses was very heavy to bear and is indeed still a difficult pill for many to swallow.”
“It has been three years since the passing of a man who touched the lives of millions of people in Ghana, Africa, and beyond.”
Sergeant Jerry John Rawlings was renowned for his uncommon candor and altruism.
Strong and assertive, he reinvented what “we ought to espouse as leaders regardless of our fields” with his leadership style.
The former President’s raison d’être was defined throughout his life by his fearless, hands-on leadership style and his comprehension and admiration of the challenges faced by the average person.
According to the statement, he would be remembered as “a man of the people” as the country observed the third anniversary of his departure.
Former President Rawlings was a patriot, a soldier for the people, and a man who cherished his nation.
Regarding political and social issues that plagued Ghana and other nations, he remained fearlessly steadfast in his beliefs.
He never wavered in his commitment to assist the poor or in need, as seen by the Buruli ulcer cases in the 1990s and the iconic picture of him standing knee-deep in floodwaters at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle. This was both as President and a past President.