Jerry John Rawlings was born on 22nd June,1947 at Accra to Mr. John Rawlings a Scottish and Madam Victoria Agbotui. He is a voltarian.
He attended St.Joseph Catholic Primary, Adabraka,Accra. He obtained his O’ Level Certificate at Achimota School in 1966. He was enlisted as a flight Cadet at the Ghana Air Force Station, Takoradi, August,1967.
Jerry John Rawlings was selected for the officer – Cardet Military Training Academy, Teshie, Accra in September 1967. He attended Military Coure at Takoradi, Western Region.
His Political and Public Life
He was commissioned as a pilot Officer in January,1969 and was promoted Flight Lieutenant in April that same year. He was unsuccessful in his first coup attempt in May,1979 and was rounded up together with his men and put before a Martial court in Accra.During the June 4th uprising,he was brought out of jail by Major Boakye Gyan and some junior Officers.They later formed Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) with J.J. Rawlings as chairman.
The Armed Forces Revolutionary Council embarked on a three -month house cleaning exercise during which three former military Heads were executed together with other senior military officers.
They were charged with corruption among others.
J.J Rawlings became the Head of State from June,1979 to September,1979. After ruling for three months, under the A.F.R.C he made arrangements to handover to a cilvilian rule.
Many political parties were formed, some of which were:UNC,PFP,PNP and ACP. Elections were held in September,1979 and PNP under their flag bearer,Dr. Hilla Limman.
J.J Rawlings handed over power to Dr. Hilla Limman on 24th September 1979. But on 13th December,1981,he removed Dr.Hilla Limman from power and launched a Revolution and formed a Military Government known as the Provisional National Defence Council (P.N.D.C) which ruled Ghana till 1992, when general elections were held.
He resigned from the Army and Contested the election on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (N.D.C) and won.
Again,in December 1996,he contested the election on won for the second consecutive time.
In 2000, after serving two terms of office as president of Ghana,Flt.Lt.J J Rawlings stepped down. He then nominated Professor John Evans Atta Mills, his vice President,as the candidate to contest the presidential election to contest the presidential election on the ticket of NDC.
On 12th November,2020 he passed away from short illness.
He married to Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings with Four children