My father was passionate about a lot of things – Zanetor

Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, the eldest of former President Jerry John Rawlings, described him as a “perfectionist in many ways”, I think I experienced some dimensions of him by observing him in the public domain, but in private he was passionate about things… he was a perfectionist, ”she said.

Dr Agyeman-Rawlings, who was interacting with the Ghana News Agency at a vigil in honor of the late first President of the Fourth Republic, said his father was a perfectionist, who would choose “the most strange that he observes so much ”.

“I remember when he was at the castle he went up the stairs, he just turned around and asked me how many steps you were counting?”

“I didn’t have an answer, but he did have a way of drawing your attention to small details…”

She said her dad had a good sense of humor and was always making jokes, and “… was determined, practical and honest”.

Dr Agyeman-Rawlings also described his mother as a discipline, who always made sure the right thing was done.

The state vigil, held at the Air Force Officers’ Mess in Accra on Sunday, was part of a four-day state funeral, which began on Sunday with a requiem mass in Holy Spirit Cathedral in honor of the former president.

The participants in the vigil were; Mrs. Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, wife of the late former President and her children and Colonel Joshua Agbotui (retired), the head of the family of the former President.

Dignitaries at the vigil were also included; Air Marshal Michael Sampson-Oje, former Chief of the Defense Staff; Vice Air Marshal (AVM) Issifu Sakib Kadri, former commander of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC) and AVM Frederick Bekoe, air officer, special functions, Jubilee House.

Others were; AVM Christian, Edem Kobla Dovlo, Former Commander, Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Center (KAIPTC); Major General Francis Ofori, KAIPTC Commander, Rear Admiral Moses Beik-Baffour, GAFCSC Commander, Dr Evans Agbeme Dzikum, Chief Director, Ministry of Defense; and the Police Commission (COP) Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah, the Director General for Welfare at the Ghana Police Service, represented the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

The rest was; Mr. Victor Gbeho, former Ambassador, Mr. Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, National President of the National Democratic Congress (NDC); Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, former Minister of Defense; and Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu, former Minister of Defense.

Mr. Fritz Baffour, former Minister of Information, who led the vigil, described the late former president as “a very good man”.