Jerry John Rawlings

Jerry John Rawlings was a Ghanaian military officer and politician who led the country from 1981 to 2001 and also for a brief period in 1979. He led a military junta until 1992, and then served two terms as the democratically elected president of Ghana.

Jerry John Rawlings, popular as J.J or J.J Rawlings was born on 22 June 1947 in Accra, Ghana, to Victoria Agbotui, an Ewe from Dzelukope, Keta, and James Ramsey John, a chemist from Castle Douglas in Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland, with descendants living in Newcastle and London.

He attended Achimota School and a military academy at Teshie.

After his secondary education at Achimota College in 1967, he joined the Ghana Air Force shortly afterward.

In March 1968, he was posted to Takoradi, in the Western Region, to continue his studies where he graduated in January 1969 and was commissioned as a pilot officer, winning the coveted “Speed Bird Trophy” as the best cadet in flying the Su-7 ground attack supersonic jet aircraft as he was skilled in aerobatics.

He earned the rank of flight lieutenant in April 1978. During his service with the Ghana Air Force, Rawlings perceived deterioration in discipline and morale due to corruption in the Supreme Military Council (SMC) a view that led to the 1979 coup.

Having contributed his quota to Ghana’s development Jerry John Rawlings passed away on November 12, 2020, after a short illness at the age of 73 at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra.

Rawlings was married to Nana Konadu Agyeman, whom he met while at Achimota College. They had three daughters: Zanetor Rawlings who is currently a Member of Parliament, Yaa Asantewaa Rawlings, Amina Rawlings; and one son, Kimathi Rawlings.