His passing has not stopped the celebrations of anniversary of the revolution he led to correct the ills that bedeviled Ghana, the country he cherished dearly.
As history will absorb, the celebration of the 41st anniversary of 31st December revolution has commenced with the nation and people expressing overwhelming support of the event, as they did on that fateful day. Certainly, It is to remind us all of the dedication of J. J. Rawlings to Ghana.
What is touching and exciting is that the NDC, the political party that emerged from the revolution, has Rawlings’ daughter, Hon. Zanetor Agyeman Rawlings, as Member of Parliament for Korley Klottey Constituency.
Interestingly, together with the Party, she has been actively involved in the organization and activities of this year’s anniversary. J.J. could not have wished for a better tribute to his legacy!
What is more, it has been a tradition to hold the main event at a different location each year, in order to bring it close to the people J.J. loved dearly and served untiringly. It is in this vein that this year’s anniversary is being marked with a grand durbar at Dawhenya, a rural community in the Ningo Prampram District, which signals a recall of the revolutionary leader’s love and focus to develop and improve the living standards of rural Ghana.
Coming on the heels of the election of a formidable batch of National Executives, including some of the most experienced stalwarts of the NDC, such as Asiedu Nketia, former General Secretary, as Chairman and the indefatigable Hon. Fiifi Kwetey as General Secretary, the event is organized to have them mount the podium with Hon Zanetor Rawlings, as she keeps her father’s legacy and spirit of resistance against corrupt and oppressive rule alive.
History has unambiguously shown that true revolutions are always precipitated by the people. This is clearly observable now, as most Ghanaians yearn for 31st December from all corners of the country on this occasion even in the absence of its leader.
It stands indisputable that Rawlings will always remain a hero to millions of Ghanaians and Africans as whole, for standing up to rulers who lord it over the people with greed and impunity. His heroism was reminiscent of the courage of the group of ex-servicemen who confronted the British colonialists in 1948 leading to the killing of Sergeant Adjetey, Corporal Attipoe and Private Odartey Lamptey, through to Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah’s fight for independence.
In fact, since Rawlings burst onto the Ghanaian scene he assumed the role of flagbearer of Ghanaian political radicals after Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah. These radicals, some of whom formed the cadre corps of the revolutions in 1979 and 1981, would confront reactionaries in their quest to surmount the status quo.
This zealousness of the cadres and the support of the masses have always sought to uphold the values and ideals of the revolutionary take-overs, to instill probity and accountability, which became the maxim of the revolution. It also encapsulates the rule of the people and not the democracy ploy some politicians have used to hide behind pronouncements of “rule of law”, so-called, while in reality they trample on the law underfoot and leave the populace to wallow in abject poverty.
The need for the cadres to uphold and celebrate the values and ideals of the revolution is to keep the revolutionary spirit fresh in the minds of the nation, in order to prevent corrupt rulers, be they military or civilians from running the nation into the abyss, which unfortunately snarls, and throw our people into panic and hopelessness.
History is actually replete with corrupt rulers being the main perpetrators in unleashing high cost of living, hunger, impoverishment resulting in the premature deaths of the masses and leaving their countries underdeveloped.
For the 65 years of Ghana’s independence there has not been any period in the nation’s life span to take pride in progress or development other than the periods of the rule of Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah and the times the NDC ruled from President Jerry John Rawlings till its last government.
Reflecting on the past, one can point to true democratic dispensations, where the people’s will determined governance and infrastructural developments that prioritized the needs of the mass of the people i.e. roads, schools, hospitals, housing, rural electrification and more importantly, potable water for the people. This is in sharp contrast to the freedom and license given to gold miners, both legal and illegal, to pollute the nation’s water bodies, leading to the majority of our rural folks at the receiving end of our poisoned waters.
Under the prevailing conditions, celebrating the anniversary of the 31st December Revolution is not for fun. Rather, it is an occasion to fan the almost dead flames of the revolutionary zeal of our people back to life. And while we do this, it is hoped that the Rawlings factor in the nation’s political development will be highlighted to awaken Ghanaians to stand up against the malevolent actions of criminal politicians who are bent on derailing and demonizing the gains and essence of the Rawlings legacy of radicalism in changing and developing Ghana.
Ghana must win, as its compatriots in the early 60s, such as Singapore and South Korea, who have become shining examples in the world.
Can Ghana’s future as a shining example too be guaranteed without revisiting and rekindling her revolutionary past?
Hell No!!!
Long live 31st December Revolution
Aluta Continua
Happy New Year to all
By Kwabena Boadu