Whispering Drums With Maigani
by Musa Ibrahim
The browning of Rawlings
And what better forum than the Commonwealth Heads Conference in Nassau, Bahamas? All the indications are that the conference this year will be graced with the presence of Flt-Lt Rawlings.
Since seizing power on December 31, 1981, Flt-Lt Rawlings has been most hesitant to leave Ghana because of security reasons as the survival of his PNDC was seen to be dependent on his presence in Ghana.
His forays outside the country so far have been limited to nicodemus overnight flights to Libya to consult with the Libyan leader Col Gaddafy, and similar one day journeys to neighbouring Togo, Ivory Coast, Burkina Fasso and Nigeria. He also attended the abortive Organisation of African Unity (OAU) conference in Tripoli.
The longest journey to date has been the trip that took him to Nicaragua, Cuba and Guyana.
If he does make it to Nassau as all the present indications point, and conference sources confirm, it will be something of a different sort of gathering from what he has been used to and there may not be much room for the display of the distinctive Rawlings style.
At an ECOWAS conference in Benin in 1982, Flt-Lt Rawlings took the controls of his executive plane and made an aerial display worthy of the Dare-Devils.
During a recent visit to Lagos for the signing of the extradition treaty between Nigeria, Ghana, Togo and Benin, Flt-Lt Rawlings criticised the Nigerian military leaders (Buhari/ Idiagbon) for their sartorial appearance why were they wearing ceremonial uniforms?
The Commonwealth Conference, with its sedate setting and adherence to protocol, is going to prove a trying and inhibiting scene for the Flight-Lieutenant and observers will be watching very keenly how the dashing and unconventional pilot (said by Time Magazine to be irresistible to ladies) handles the situation.
His meeting with the British Queen especially is likely to be full of drama and it will be particularly interesting to note what manner of clothes he will be wearing in Nassau.
It has been noticed that he is no longer too attached to his flying suit which used to be his uniform.
From Nassau, Flt-Lt Rawlings is expected to make his entry on the world stage by addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Last year Captain Thomas Sankara of Burkina Faso, who claims to take his inspiration from Rawlings, addressed the UN Assembly and made a dramatic impact and Rawlings must have been itching to emulate his disciple.
All this is part of the general attempt to portray a new and matured image. for Chairman Rawlings. Gone is the screaming, angry revolutionary image and in is the statesmanlike, quiet elder who speaks in measured tones.
A recent issue of the Mirror carried what was billed as an interview with the Chairman. The identity of the questioner was not revealed and the by-line simply said 'Our Correspondent'. The power. For, as interview, or more especially the answers said to have been given by the Chairman, was an example in 'under- reaction'. Example:
Q: What of the United States and the CIA trial?
A: Let us be realistic. Every country has some kind of intelligence and security organisation. But where such organisations extend their functions beyond any justifiable limits, and try to undermine or destabilize governments simply because they do not approve of their policies or philosophies, then we in the Third World have a right to be angry. Many American citizens, however, have expressed grave concern about CIA activities because, although as a government organisation the Agency acts in their name, they deplore its actions. Indeed, it sometimes appears fully aware of CIA activities even though its actions reflect upon the government and the people of the United States.
Having said this, it is necessary to make a clear distinction between the CIA, the US Government and the American people as a whole. As you know, only recently Ghana signed an agreement with the US for the supply of cotton and rice, and a few days earlier, representatives of a Black American organisation interested in investing in Ghana had talks with top officials. We must not make immature and generalized judgements.
…
Anybody who knows Flt-Lt. Rawlings must surely be surprised by such "under-reaction". It makes one suspicious that Chairman Rawlings has lost all his former fire.
Or could it be a case of somebody not biting the hand that feeds him? Obviously the power of the dollar must be sobering indeed!
