JJ Rawlings legacy took centre stage in Accra as President John Mahama disclosed that former President Jerry John Rawlings repeatedly rejected proposals to name major national institutions and monuments after him, including the University for Development Studies and an offshore oil production vessel.
Speaking at a ceremony to rename the National Democratic Congress national headquarters as the JJ Rawlings House and unveil a bust of the late ex-president, Mahama said Rawlings would likely have opposed the public tribute if he were alive.
“Rawlings himself, if he were alive, would have been very uncomfortable with this ceremony we are holding, by which we seek to immortalise his name,” he said.
Mahama described the NDC founder as deeply uneasy with gestures that placed his name on buildings and monuments, arguing that Rawlings preferred to be remembered through service and impact rather than through physical symbols.
“As the Chairman said, he resisted all attempts to name significant monuments after him,” the president added.
UDS and Sankofa FPSO proposals were turned down
Mahama said Rawlings even declined to have the University for Development Studies named after him, despite his contribution to its establishment.
“He politely declined to have the University for Development Studies named after him, even though he had given up his World Food Prize Award as seed funding to start that university,” Mahama stated.
He also recounted an episode from his previous administration when he sought Rawlings’ permission to name the Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel for the ENI Sankofa oil field after him.
“He replied to my letter during my previous presidency when I wrote to seek his permission to name the FPSO for the ENI Sankofa field after him,” Mahama said. According to the president, Rawlings’ response captured his humility and philosophy of public life.
“And he said, ‘Pass it on to President Kufuor. I prefer to have my name inscribed in the minds and hearts of men than on statues and monuments,’” Mahama quoted.
NDC says symbols are needed to protect history
Mahama described Rawlings as “a man who was neither vain nor ostentatious,” adding that the party’s decision to honour him was easier now because “he is in no position to object to what we are doing here to immortalise his name.”
He said the renaming of the party’s headquarters was meant to preserve the NDC’s history and values for the future, describing the building as the centre of political work.
“It is the place where ideas are debated, policies are formulated, manifestos are written, strategies are developed and decisions are taken in pursuit of our mission to serve the people of Ghana,” he said.
NDC National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketia confirmed Rawlings “resisted fiercely” attempts to attach his name to monuments, noting that he “always said that he wanted his legacy to remain in the minds and hearts of Ghanaians.” But he argued the party now needs visible markers for younger generations.
“If we allow his memory to remain only in the hearts and minds of people, it will also die when those hearts and minds that knew him pass on,” he said, adding that consultations led the party to conclude it was “well and fitting” to name the headquarters after its founder.
Family calls ceremony a recommitment to values
Kimathi Rawlings, the son of the late former president, described the event as more than symbolism.
“Today has been much more than a ceremonial occasion. It has been a moment of reflection, remembrance and recommitment,” he said, calling the renaming “a solemn affirmation” that “conviction, sacrifice and service in the pursuit of justice, accountability and national progress will never be forgotten.”
Mahama urged Ghanaians to uphold the values Rawlings championed, particularly probity, accountability and selfless service, saying the tribute should serve as a reminder that public office must improve the lives of ordinary citizens.
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