REMEBERING EX-PRESIDENT RAWLINGS: Background, Education, Military And 1979 Coup

Late Flt. Lt. Jeremiah Kwesi Rawlings John was born on Sunday 22, June, 1947 to late James Ramsey John, a renowned chemist from Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire in Scotland and late Victoria Agbotui, a native of Dzelukope in Keta in the Volta Region.

EDUCATION

The Late Flt. Lt. Jeremiah Kwesi Rawlings John had his education at the Achimota School in Accra

After completing his education at Achimota school, the late Former President later continued at the Military Academy School in Teshie in the Greater Accra Region.

After successfully completing his training at the Military Academy School, Late Rawlings found himself in Takoradi to continue his education and completed in 1968 as a Pilot Officer, claiming a "Speed Bird Trophy" as the best cadet in flying the Su-7 ground attack supersonic jet aircraft as he was skilled in aerobatics.

Late Rawlings later earned Flight Lieutenant in April 1978.

While under the Ghana Air Force, Rawlings professed a decline in chastisement and morale due to corruption in the Supreme Military Council (SMC).

As elevation took him into connection with the fortunate classes and their social values, his view of the prejudices in civilization hardboiled.

He was thus stared with some restlessness by the SMC.

After the 1979 coup, he tangled himself with the student community of the University of Ghana, where he settled a more collectivist thought through reading and dialogue of social and political ideas.

1979 MILITARY AND COUP

Late Rawlings grew disgruntled with Ignatius Kutu Acheampong's government, which had come to power through a coup in January 1972.

Late Acheampong was suspected not only of bribery, but also of continuing Ghana's reliance on pre-colonial influences that led to monetary waning and poverty.

Rawlings found himself part of the Free Africa Movement, an subversive crusade of military brigadiers who wanted to amalgamate Africa through a successions of overthrows.

Late President Rawlings and some soldiers in May 1979 thespian a revolution against the General Fred Akuffo, it did not succeed

He was then sentenced to death for his coup acts but some soldiers managed to get him out of prison in 1979

On 24 September 1979, supremacy was calmly given to him by then President Hilla Limann. Two years later, Rawlings expelled President Hilla Limann in a coup d'etat on 31 December 1981, demanding that noncombatant rule was frail and the country's economy was worsening.

The assassinations of the Supreme Court Justices (Cecilia Koranteng-Addow, Frederick Sarkodie, and Kwadjo Agyei Agyepong), military officers Major Sam Acquah and Major Dasana Nantogmah also befell in the second military rule of Rawlings.

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Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith