My JM, Your JM, and Our JM
John Mahama is considered one of the most respected leaders in the world not because of the position he held (President) but because of his performance in office. He is the man that everyone looks up to and respect because of his personality, his character, traits, and qualities. If you are serious about becoming an extraordinary leader like John Mahama, you must express intense passion and enthusiasm with what you do. When you are enthusiastic and you love what you do, nothing can stop you from achieving your goal.
The Bible says in – 1 Samuel 9:16
“About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over My people Israel; and he will deliver My people from the hand of the Philistines For I have regarded My people, because their cry has come to Me.” God has assigned John Mahama to execute same assignment come 2020.
He was born in Damango in 1958. His father was one of Nkrumah’s trusted comrades and was at the forefront of the liberation struggle. His father served as a minister in Nkrumah’s government and later served as a senior presidential adviser during Ghana’s Third Republic under Hilla Limann.
Mahama’s paternal side comes from Gonja royal line. His father was selected by kingmakers and royals of Gonja (Bole) to be installed a Chief but he refused. He wanted enough space and time to do his business and politics. On his death, the Paramount chief of Bole insisted that he be enthroned chief before his burial and this was done.
John Mahama attended Achimota Primary School. Was a Presbyterian but later joined the Assemblies Of God Church. Ideologically he is inclined to the left and admired by many comrades across the pro-left political parties for his command over pro left philosophies.
His father took him to the North after the overthrow of the CPP government. He attended Ghana Secondary School. His father was hounded by the Acheampong government because he condemned the 1972 coup. Even though he was a member of the CPP administration he did not depart from his democratic principles. He insisted that the coup was unnecessary and advised Acheampong who was a friend to restore constitutional rule. In a letter to his friend Acheampong, he stated that ”considering the successes Acheampong had achieved in a short while, Ghanaians will start agitating for a return to constitutional rule, and so should return the country to constitutional rule”. He was picked by the soldiers and detained for days in Cabinda Barracks for offering that advice.
John Mahama himself joined student politics when at sixth form to oppose Gen. Acheampong. He joined other students to defend the ballot box during the YES and NO referendum on Union Government called by Acheampong.
John Mahama helped his father who was a senior presidential advisor escape by canoe across the Volta lake to Cote d’Ivoire, and later to Nigeria and to Britain when Chairman Rawlings staged the Dec 31 coup in 1981. He later joined his father in exile but returned to do his post graduate studies at the school of Communication Studies at the University of Ghana. Interestingly, Mahama became one of the beneficiaries of Chairman Rawlings PNDC’s policy of sending students abroad. He was sent to Moscow’s Institute of Social Sciences to further his studies. He later joined Plan International but the youth of Bole aggressively approached him to lead the constituency. He became a member of Parliament for the constituency and achieved a lot for the constituency.
He was a member of Parliament for the constituency for 12 years. He was appointed deputy communication minister and full minister by chairman Rawlings. Senior members of the NDC, the grassroots and some senior members of the New Patriotic Party including President Akufo-Addo predicted that John Mahama will one day take over the highest office of the land. Nana Addo made that prediction when he and John appeared on a popular political show Hot Issues around year 2000. He later became the communication director of the NDC in opposition. He changed the face of the party’s communication and made the party more attractive. The NDC became more attractive because of his demeanor and his communication skills.
MAHAMA AND RAWLINGS – He was appointed deputy communication minister and full minister by chairman Rawlings and was one of Rawlings’ darling boys. When the Kufour administration started harassing Mr Rawlings after the 2000 election, John Mahama was among the few former ministers of Chairman Rawlings who openly chastised Kufour. He constantly granted interviews to local and foreign media houses and cautioned the Kufour administration against intimidation and harassment of Chairman Rawlings. When the security operatives invited Rawlings over his positive defiance statement, it was John Mahama who spoke to the international press and exerted pressure on the administration via the media. He was selected by Prof. Mills as his Vice Presidential candidate. The demand for John’s selection went beyond the NDC. By the demands of Ghana’s constitution, John Mahama had to be sworn in as President of Ghana on the day Prof. Mills’ death.
He gallantly stepped into the shoes of his mentor Prof. Mills and went on to win the Dec 2012 Presidential election. His achievement in terms of infrastructure, Economic policy formulation, human right and security is unprecedented. He was and is respected highly because of his performance in office and out of office and this was what the former Prime Minister said about John Mahama
“personal commitment and leadership will help encourage other countries to appreciate why this agenda is so critical for current and future generation
“With you at the helm, Ghana continues to exhibit strong leadership in democratic governance in the West African region. I also welcome your commitment to transparency in governance by revising the Ghana Criminal Offences Act to redefine corruption to include the more expansive definition covered in the ‘UN Convention Against Corruption and the AU Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption’,”
Source: Ohenenana Obonti Krow