Newly elected President of the National House of Chiefs, Ogyeahohuo Yaw Gyebi II, has advised politicians and the youth to emulate the courageous character of the late former President Jerry John Rawlings.

The Paramount Chief of the Sefwi Anhwiaso Traditional Area in the Western North Region said like the former late President, if the youth wants to make a decision that would benefit mankind, they should not relent.

Reacting to the sudden demise of the late President on Onua FM’s Yen Sempa hosted by Nana Okyere Awurukuo on Friday, Ogyeahohuo Yaw Gyebi II said “(the late Rawlings) was purposeful. He was focused. He was brave.”

The former president died Thursday morning at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra after a short illness, at the age of 73.

He said the youth should be truthful.

“They should persevere in everything they do. You must have a vision and if there should be a change, then you must change but don’t deviate from your vision as the former late President did.”

The Chief added: “If you want to do something and you are not brave and courageous, you can’t do it because not everyone will like you as a leader and that should not deter you.”

Achievements of JJ Rawlings

Recounting some of the achievements of the late President which the youth and the politicians should emulate, Ogyeahohuo Yaw Gyebi II said, “we can remember him for the 1992 Constitution which we are ruling the nation with currently”.

He recounted that “when he staged his first coup d’état, I followed him. We all followed him. I was at the university and we followed him because there was corruption in the system so we followed him”.

The Paramount Chief noted that the demise will greatly affect the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) because he was the founder of the party.



“We all know where he was. If he is with your campaign, it helps a lot and every party has those they look up to and vote so the demise will have an impact on the NDC.”

Ogyeahohuo Yaw Gyebi II said “those in the party who are in because of him will reduce and that will affect the NDC”.