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The death of former president Jerry John Rawlings must unite Ghanaians, former president John Mahama has said.

At a vigil held by the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in honour of the late military leader and founder of the party, Mr Mahama, who is also the presidential candidate of the NDC, said Mr Rawlings “was not perfect, neither are we perfect”, adding: “Having led this country for 19 years, longer than any past leader has and ever will, his impact on where our country has come from and where it is headed cannot be understated”.

“Let us make his death bring us together”, Mr Mahama said. He noted that Mr Rawlings’ “impact on the current trajectory of the country has helped immensely, and it is necessary for us to find the right balance to honour him as the founder of Ghana’s current democracy”, urging: “We must use this occasion of his passing to bring healing to our nation”.

Mr Mahama’s comments tie in with a recent similar call by the Presiding Archbishop of Action Chapel International, Nicholas Duncan-Williams.

In a eulogy, the founder of ACI said the “best contribution we can all make” to the legacy of the late former “is to unite, as Ghanaians, and put country first: to build together as citizens of a community rather than divided peoples of parties and tribes”.

“We should care less about self-enlargement and the things that divide us, as he did”, Archbishop Duncan-Williams said. 

“As we lay him to rest in the spirit of gratitude and appreciation, for his contribution to the nation and its people, let us also allow these words to resonate in our hearts: ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy’ (Matt 5:7)’”, the cleric said. 

He also noted that Mr Rawlings had a selfless character and put Ghana first. 

“President Rawlings ‘dared greatly’ and will never be among those cold and timid souls, who neither know great defeats nor victories. Late President Rawlings was the personification of ‘the man in the arena’”. 

Mr Rawlings died on Thursday, 12 November 2020 at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital where he was on admission.