How Rawlings’ strong and abstract transformational leadership paved way for modern day Ghana
The first American to translate Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy and one of the fireside poets- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in one of his writings ‘A Psalm of Life’ had this to say: “Lives of great men all remind us, we can make our lives sublime, and, departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time”.
This quotation best describes the life and time of Flight lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings, the former president of Ghana, who died November 12, 2020, at the age of 73 after a brief illness. J. J., as he was fondly called by the downtrodden of Ghana who have come to develop a great affinity for him, demonstrated uncommon characteristics and great leadership skills from his early days at Achimota school back in 1966. Born in Accra, Ghana on June 22, 1947 to a Ewe mother and a Scottish father, J.J. Rawlings from childhood developed a great interest in planes. His parents wanted another career for him, but Jerry had other interests. He joined the military and was commissioned as flight Lieutenant.