-The Woman behind JJ’s Self-Destruction (Part 1 of 25)

“The heaviness of our heart stems from our belief that you, our revered Founder, appear to be lending yourself to the devious schemes of those who, capitalizing on and exploiting your well-established strong sense of loyalty, would ultimately lead you to destroy your image and all that you have been known to stand for over the years…

“Mr. Founder, we hold the view, a strong one at that, that no one but Jerry John Rawlings can destroy Jerry John Rawlings, and it is this strongly held view that makes us believe that your well-known strong sense of loyalty is being wickedly exploited to get you to lean towards those who would ultimately lead you to self-destruction”. Courtesy: Ghanaian Lens

A Research Desk Report

Don’t be surprised any time soon to see the longest serving Ghanaian Head of State and former President, Flt. Lt. Jeremiah Kwashivi John Rawlings embraces what he has over the years been longing to become and which was also once prophesized by the revered man of God, Archbishop Nicholas Duncan Williams, Priesthood.

It shouldn’t be shocking of Jerry John Rawlings becoming a pastor because like his mentor, the Head of the Dominion Prayer Center, Nicholas Duncan-Williams and as many more other prominent and powerful men of God of the world today; they encountered chequered beginnings until they were divinely ‘saved’ and became what they are.

May be the prophetic words of the eminent Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams when delivering the sermon to us in the New Year on December 31st: “I tell you and I am speaking prophetically that this man [Jerry Rawlings] would end as a pastor…And I have known this for a long time…you just wait and see” is what would set aside Rawlings’ ruin.

Any student of the Ghanaian political history over the last three decades should by now be conversant of the fact that, the once feared, powerful, hated by many whilst revered by more Jerry John Rawlings, is fast becoming a pale of his own shadow, thanks to the unprecedented grand determined deeds of one woman, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings.

Almost at 64, formerly sober and reticent Nana Konadu, Art graduate of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, specialized in Textiles and daughter to the late J.O.T. Agyeman married her spouse and National Democratic Congress (NDC) Founder, Jerry John Rawlings in 1977. The marriage is blessed with three daughters and a son: Ezanator, Yaa Asantewaa, Amina and Kimathi.

By her nature, Nana Konadu was initially not the least enthused of Jerry Rawlings’ traverse into the political turf, first in 1979 and then 1981, when the government of Peoples National Party headed by Dr Hilla Liman was overthrown.

However, her perceptions of politics and political power soon begun to modify when she formed and became life president of the 31st December Women’s Movement (31stDWM) on May 15, 1982.

With consolidated power, unrestricted wealth and fame, the somber character in Nana Konadu suddenly evaporated only to be replaced by the garrulous and incorrigible personality in the former first lady, and there has never been any turning back since.

Nana Konadu’s first mission after acquiring power, wealth and fame was to systematically begin delinking Jerry Rawlings from all persons (friends, relations and comrades) she perceived to have influence and foothold on him. These include attorneys who risked their lives to defend Rawlings at the court marshal trying him for mutiny and treason in 1979; Lawyers Adumuah Bossman and Tsatsu Tsikata.

Although Jerry Rawlings wasn’t very much sympathetic to Nana Konadu throughout their matrimonial life when they were presiding over the nation, he most of the time nevertheless, succumbed to some of her subtle whims and caprice albeit, unknowingly. Today, through the deadly machinations of unrepentant Nana Konadu, Chairman Rawlings, as he was fondly called; stands isolated. She has succeeded in segregating the once man-of-the people from friends and relations as well as the teeming men and women of the party he founded.

A part of an open letter posted by The Ghanaian Lens newspaper recently comes in handy.

“The heaviness of our heart stems from our belief that you, our revered Founder, appears to be lending yourself to the devious schemes of those who, capitalizing on and exploiting your well-established strong sense of loyalty, would ultimately lead you to destroy your image and all that you have been known to stand for over the years…

“Mr. Founder, we hold the view, a strong one at that, that no one but Jerry John Rawlings can destroy Jerry John Rawlings, and it is this strongly held view that makes us believe that your well-known strong sense of loyalty is being wickedly exploited to get you to lean towards those who would ultimately lead you to self-destruction”. Stay tuned for part 2.