Former Minister of Information, Fritz Baffour, has shared a touching childhood memory of the late former President Jerry John Rawlings, describing him as a fearless and fair young boy who stood up to bullies.
Mr. Baffour recounted how he, Mr. Rawlings, and the late former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, all attended the same early childhood school in Accra then known as Mrs. Sam’s School, later renamed New Nation.
“There was a school set up by a lady called Mrs. Adu Sam. It was called Mrs. Sam’s; later it became New Nation, and it attracted many elite Ghanaians. Nana Konadu went there and Jerry Rawlings was there… I was in that school. I went there about three years old. Rawlings was one year older than her,” he said.
According to Mr. Baffour, Rawlings was already known among his classmates for his courage and sense of justice.
“We all knew each other. I spent two years there, and we heard of Jerry John who, when anyone was bullied, they would say, ‘Go and call Jerry John.’ So at that age, he was already fighting bullies. This is the truth,” Mr. Baffour recalled.
The late former President Jerry John Rawlings, who led Ghana from 1981 to 2001, is remembered as one of the country’s most influential and controversial leaders. His bold leadership style, anti-corruption drive, and reforms continue to shape Ghana’s political history.
Mr. Baffour’s tribute came as part of a broader reflection on the life and legacy of Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, who passed away recently, marking the end of a historic political partnership that began long before their rise to national prominence.
