Rawlings reveals late President Mills’ health could not sustain 3 hours work daily
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Ghana’s revolutionary former President Jerry Rawlings has added his voice and insight to the issues concerning the death of Ghana’s President John Evans Atta Mills (yesterday July 24, 2012). Speaking to the BBC World Service in Congo Brazzaville, he former air officer said though he was shocked to hear the news of the death of his once-beloved protégé, it did not come to him as a surprise.
According to Rawlings (whose wife Nana Konadu Agyemen-Rawlings sought unsuccessfully the top ticket for the national elections holding December 2012) although President Mills has been battling with the cancer for quite some time, his death came at the wrong time because “we have elections in December”.
He revealed that the cancer that afflicted Mills, affected both his eye and his ear, and “he couldn’t sustain more than three hours per day.”
The former president is in Congo Brazzaville together with his wife, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings. They are participating in activities marking the formal launch of Forbes Africa, at the invitation of President Denis Sassou N’Guesso.
Mr. Rawlings said: “It was quite a shock to my wife and I but it was not unexpected because he’s been battling the cancer for quite a while.
“This is certainly the wrong time for him to go considering that we have elections around the corner in December. Quite frankly, I think had he been advised and done something wiser earlier on, he could probably have survive for another six, seven months I guess, but he got too tight, he got extremely tight and the poor professor passed away.”
Rawlings added: “He’s played his part, as my Vice President I think he was one of the finest, he was indeed one of the finest, but there again considering that the cancer affected both his eye and his ear, he couldn’t sustain more than three hours per day”.
The former President expressed disappointment at the fact that President Mills could not re-open the cases of “some of the cold blooded killings that took place before we came into office”.
“So that (cancer) was naturally going to affect his performance and that’s why I think he would have done just as well or even better. The only unfortunate thing is that some of the cold blooded killings that took place before we came into office could not be re-investigated. I would have wished he had really done that.
“Let’s see what can be done with the time that is left.”
Asked about what he thought about the current President, John Dramani Mahama, former President Rawlings said “I don’t know….” ref: USAfrica/BBC/Peacefm
Vice President John Dramani Mahama assumed the office and powers of the presidency a few hours after Mills death, as constitutionally required.
Mills received treatment, privately, a few weeks ago in the U.S, and returned on June 25, 2012.
Mills, who is 68 years old, was inaugurated in January 2009; and hosted U.S President Barack Obama and his family in 2011 in Ghana. The reports of the visit are here on USAfricaonline.com.
Why Ghana’s President said ‘No’ to U.S., France and Nigeria on military intervention in Ivory Coast.
Special report by Chido Nwangwu, Publisher of Houston-based USAfrica and USAfricaonline.com
https://usafricaonline.com/2011/01/07/why-ghana-president-mills-said-no-to-usa-n-france-on-military-intervention-in-ivory-coast-by-chido-nwangwu/
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The greatest Igbo ODUMEGWU OJUKWU’s great farewell in Aba. By Chido Nwangwu https://usafricaonline.com/2012/02/28/the-greatest-igbo-odumegwu-ojukwu-farewell-in-aba-by-chido-nwangwu
USAfrica: Ikemba ODUMEGWU OJUKWU’s farewell in Aba, today February 28, 2012, reflected a fitting tribute, historically meaningful celebration, proper regard and deserving appreciation of the greatest Igbo, in my opinion, to have ever lived (like him or hate him).
I SALUTE Aba (aka Enyimba city), the robust and fearless town I was born, bred and raised, for giving the Ikemba, our Ochiagha, Gburugburu, Oka oburu uzo, dike na ndu ma n’onwu, mgbadike anyi, a hero’s farewell.
To the Ikemba, may your valiant soul rest in peace and dignity.
We will, and I, Chido Nwangwu, will never forget to continue to tell my generation and the next about your towering courage through tempest and thunder; through sorrow, pain, tears, blood….
•Dr. Chido Nwangwu, Founder & Publisher of USAfrica multimedia networks, first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper published on the internet USAfricaonline.com; and recipient of several journalism and public policy awards, was recently profiled by the CNN International for his pioneering works on multimedia/news/public policy projects for Africans and Americans. http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/international/2010/07/29/mpa.african.media.bk.a.cnn.
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• For seasoned insights and breaking news on these issues, log on to USAfricaonline.com and USAfrica powered e-groups including Nigeria360 at yahoogroups and USAfrica at googlegroups.
The journey continues!