The late Jerry John Rawlings
Founder of the Atta-Mills Institute Koku Anyidoho has pledged to speak the voice of former President and late Jerry John Rawlings on June 4.
The outspoken former director of communications under late President John Evans Atta Mills said he would be doing this in remembrance of the late Jerry John Rawlings known to deliver speeches every June 4, in commemoration of the June 4 uprising in the late 70s.
The June 4th Revolution, otherwise known as June 4th Uprising, arose out of corruption, bad governance and frustration among the general public.
History has it that on May 15, 1979, the late Rawlings led a group of junior Ghanaian army officers in an attempted overthrow of the military government of General Fred Akuffo and the Supreme Military Council less than five weeks before the national elections.
The late Rawlings was then arrested and imprisoned after he led a group of junior Ghanaian army officers in an attempted coup d’état against the military government led by General Fred Akuffo.
On the night of June 3, 1979, a group of junior officers including Major Boakye Djan and enlisted personnel of the Fifth Battalion and the Reconnaissance Regiment in Burma Camp staged a bloody coup and freed Rawlings.
For years, Mr Rawlings had held commemorative events to remind the NDC as a party not to forget the core values of the party which was formed on probity and accountability.
He had also used the events to address issues of national interest including corruption and injustice.
His death has however left a vacuum and Ghanaians would be wondering whether the June 4 commemorative event would be held.
Mr Anyidoho has indicated his preparedness to speak in the voice of the late leader in honour of what he stood for.
In a tweet, he wrote: ”I promise all true supporters of the NDC that, as I pray, today May 15, in remembrance of the day Jerry John Rawlings burst onto the scene of our political dispensation; I shall speak the voice of Rawlings on June 4 by the kind grace of God”.
