It appears that General Akwasi Amankwa Afrifa was ahead of the curve as he rightly predicted what could happen to the senior military officers who formed the National Redemption Council and Supreme Military Council (SMC 1 and 2) between 1966 and 1972 should they leave power.

This conclusion is based on a letter, General Afrifa wrote to General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong who was then leader of the country in 1977.

In the letter, General Afrifa warned General Acheampong against returning the country to civilian rule with fears of how that will affect the ex-military rulers.

General Afrifa predicted that he foresees the military generals being tried by a kangaroo court, lined up and shot.

Excerpt of the report reads; “I feel greatly disturbed about the future after your government. I have heard from certain quarters of the C.P.P. threats, which they will execute after 1979. In other to discourage the military from staging coups in the future, how about if they line us all of us up and shoot us one by one? Then they would disband the Ghana Army; but I do not certainly want to be arrested, given some sort of trial and shot. These are my genuine fears. All members of the N.L.C. including General Joseph Ankrah, are involved. I still have no regrets whatsoever about my part in the operations of 1966.

“My fears increase when I look at the Koranteng-Addo Report as a whole. I do not like the Union Government as proposed in their report. The political forces militating against it are too strong.”

The fears and predictions of General Afrifa came into fruition in 1979 when the Rawlings-led Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) staged a bloody but successful coup.

As rightly predicted by General Afrifa, the Rawlings-led AFRC arrested most of the senior military officials, tried them and killed some and imprisoned some of them.

Those who were lucky enough to leave the country, had to seek exile in other countries for years before they returned to Ghana.

Below is full letter by General Afrifa

Okatakyie Farms P.O. Box 89,

Mampong-Ashanti

18th Dec,1977

My Dear General and Friend, When I write to you since you came into office,I do not receive any acknowledgment.I would normally not write again, but this is a matter that touches on my life and the lives of a few others.

I feel greatly disturbed about the future after your government. I have heard from certain quarters of the C.P.P. threats, which they will execute after 1979. In other to discourage the military from staging coups in the future, how about if they line us all of us up and shoot us one by one? Then they would disband the Ghana Army; but I do not certainly want to be arrested, given some sort of trial and shot. These are my genuine fears. All members of the N.L.C. including General Joseph Ankrah, are involved. I still have no regrets whatsoever about my part in the operations of 1966.

My fears increase when I look at the Koranteng-Addo Report as a whole. I do not like the Union Government as proposed in their report. The political forces militating against it are too strong.

I wish very sincerely to let you know that I am worried about the future.So many hard and unpleasant things were said about me by the people of this country when they had the opportunity, the very people who hailed me in 1966.Consequently, I decided that politics would be the last thing that I would do in my life.But I would be a stupid General if I would sit in the comfort of my farms to await the VENGEANCE that is about to be unleashed on us.

I do not see how I can be SECURE in the Union Government. I do not also see how you yourself can be secure in that government. What Koranteng_Addo has said is this: If a soldier wants to join this government, then let him take a leave of absence from the Armed Forces. You are a soldier and you will see what happens as soon as you take this leave. Have you forgotten that they made me sign the 1966 Constitution that disqualified me on the grounds of AGE?

I have decided to be in the next Parliament in 1979 to protect myself and those who were associated with the 1966 coup.The danger is that independent individuals in Parliament under Union Government will almost immediately constitute themselves into a political group; so the political parties law will be enacted for the trial of soldiers who have made coups.

My dear brother and friend these are my fears. So far you have protected all of us including John Harley. I have been very happy on my farms and I have been very quiet. I had hoped that when you decide to return the country to civilian rule, you would seek my views in confidence since I have done it before and been in prison after that.

But the Almighty God is the supreme ruler of all.Let us pray for Him without ceasing.He alone gives perfect protection.I will pray to Him to take away the fear and the confusion weighing on my mind now. I wish you a happy Christmas. Yours Sincerely, _____________________ Akwasi Amankwa Afrifa (SGD)