Politics
"He was a very humane person," Baffour explained, noting that their shared appreciation for comedy bonded them. "He told real jokes. Because I was in comedy, that aspect of it bonded us together."
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ACCRA — To the public, Jerry John Rawlings was the quintessential "Action Man"—an intense, gungho leader with piercing eyes and a commanding presence. But according to those who walked the corridors of power with him, that fierce exterior covered a deeply sensitive and humorous soul.
Fritz Baffour noted that the "bluster" of Rawlings' public persona often overshadowed his intrinsic humility and kindness. He acknowledged that the political executions carried out under Rawlings' early military regime inevitably "colored the thinking of a lot of people." Yet, Baffour insists that those who broke through the intimidating facade found a fiercely loyal and warm individual.
"He was a very humane person," Baffour explained, noting that their shared appreciation for comedy bonded them. "He told real jokes. Because I was in comedy, that aspect of it bonded us together. He would say, 'Come, I've heard this one,' and I’d say, 'Oh, have you heard this one?'"
Ultimately, Baffour argued that while Rawlings had his flaws, his driving force was an uncompromising, deep-seated love for Ghana and a desire to see the country work.
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"I used him as material," Baffour chuckled, recalling how he distilled complex, tense national politics into accessible, sharp-witted commentary for ordinary Ghanaians.
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He told me the man had a brain—a fascinating brain—and a deep belief in his energy
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"When they withdrew the privileges, he’d carry his own bags, get on the plane, and go. He wasn't a possessive person into material things. He’d say, 'I'm a soldier man, I can carry my stuff and move.'"
