If there ever was an African leader who is loved and hated in equal measure, former Ghanaian President Jerry John Rawlings would definitely make the list. Having come to power in the late 70s through a military coup d’etat he successfully transformed himself to a civilian head of state when Ghana reverted to democracy in the 90s, serving two 4-year terms as the first president of the so-called ‘fourth republic’.
If there ever was an African leader who is loved and hated in equal measure, former Ghanaian President Jerry John Rawlings would definitely make the list. Having come to power in the late 70s through a military coup d’etat he successfully transformed himself to a civilian head of state when Ghana reverted to democracy in the 90s, serving two 4-year terms as the first president of the so-called ‘fourth republic’.
Perhaps what endears him more than anything now is the fact that he handed over peacefully to John Agyekum Kuffour after his two terms, a factor that is largely responsible for the much touted peaceful and replicable nature of Ghana’s democracy.
Even though some still remember him for his heavy-handedness during his era as a military leader, some also think it was a necessary transition to the current eon of that country’s political evolution and are willing to elevate him to the level of respected statesmen.
Jerry Rawlings, since his handing over as president has been touring the globe giving speeches and lectures and performing duties on behalf of the United Nations, the African Union, ECOWAS and other regional bodies as well as some NGOs.
In the latest of these, he was invited to give the keynote address at the second Nnamdi Azikiwe lecture series at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University in the Nigerian city of Awka in Anambra State, on Friday March 8, 2013, on the theme “Eradicating Corruption in Africa”.
Mr. Rawlings spoke on corruption and the need for African countries to reform their governance systems.
After paying glowing tribute to Nnamdi Azikwe and congratulating the Super Eagles for winning the Africa Cup of Nations Soccer Championships, Mr. Rawlings spoke to the topic exploring the causes and evils of the canker of corruption bedeviling the development of African societies. He noted that: “Corruption arises from a state of deviation from the moral or spiritual norm; it is a deliberate refusal to operate based on set rules, regulations and laws and with a wicked, if not evil desire to circumvent the punitive actions that come with such deliberate deviant action.”
He said corruption is not the preserve of those in government or higher authority but is endemic on different levels of the social ladder. “Ladies and Gentlemen; there is a culture of corruption reaching down to the very roots of our societies, in which anyone with some kind of power uses it to extort money or favours from others; from the official who demands a bribe to do his job to the lecturer or employer who demands sexual favours from young women in return for high marks or a job” he said. “Sadly the vulnerable are compelled, in their quest for survival to fuel corruption by willingly greasing the palms of persons with influence in order to receive a favour, goods or services, which under normal circumstances should be available to all members of the public through an equitable standard.”
He questioned whether corruption was inherited from the colonial institutions which set a model for doing things, proffering that Africans by nature had a system of checks and balances in their traditional governance systems. “Such desires may be stimulated by Westernisation, but our various countries on the continent did have strict moral codes of conduct administered by our traditional authorities and their officers. Indeed in most societies there was a traditional unwritten religious edict that frowned on corruption – cheating, stealing and intimidation.”
He also decried the system of electing public officials, which he said gave way to corruption which bred even more corruption. “We need to take a hard look at our political systems, which in their present conditions favour bribery and corruption to win power and then more bribery and corruption to recoup the cost of winning.”
As a solution to fighting corruption, Mr. Rawlings suggested the strengthening of the ‘public voice’. He called on African leaders not to fight popular criticism but to encourage it to give the people a say in how they are governed. He called for the protection of whistle-blowers and easy access of public records. He also identified the media as a vital instrument for exposing corruption and helping to develop the governance systems. He called on the media not to cater to the dictates of people from who they stand to gain materially or to political traditions to which they may be sympathetic; but to strive to represent the people as their ‘watch-dog’. The ex president further called for enhanced investigative journalism to put all members of civil society on their toes.
Mr. Rawlings went on to pay tribute to the Nigerian attitude of self confidence and suggested that corruption is not just home-grown but also comes from multi-national and international sources. He called for a Pan-African debate on corruption and governance on the continent.
In his conclusion, Mr. Rawlings seemed to court a bit of controversy when he commended President Goodluck Jonathan and his Ghanaian counterpart John Mahama as good examples of leaders fostering democratic culture and helping to curb corruption, while alluding to a previous regime which was the opposite. “Like President Mahama of Ghana, President Jonathan does not waste time dwelling on the rituals of power and also places value on respect as opposed to subservience. The fact that these two leaders are liked by many and not feared enhances the opportunity to foster a democratic culture. I wonder if those who criticised President Jonathan for being weak were expecting him to institute the shoot-on-sight policy they employed when they were in power?” he said.
Reactions to Mr. Rawlings speech has been varied. Some elements within the Nigerian body politic as well as civil society have taken exception to his citing President Jonathan as a shining example of anti-corruption while some others have hailed the speech as ‘spot on’.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of SaharaReporters
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