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Learning Transformational Leadership: A Pedagogical and Practical Perspective Stig Ytterstad
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To the memory of former President Jerry John Rawlings (June 22, 1947–November 12, 2020)
And to all past and future political leaders of Africa.
The Africa we want for the future generation is in our collective hands as Africans.
Let us continue to demand effective/servant leadership from our leaders and promote a culture of accountability across the African continent.
Preface
The opportunity to lead this book project on the leadership and legacy of former President Jerry John Rawlings has not only been a great honor for me in many ways, but working with my co-editor on the project has been one of the rewarding moments in my professional career as an academic/scholar on African politics and the feld of African affairs. Like many of our contemporaries who had their formative education on the continent of Africa in the late 1980s, 1990s, and the 2000s, my co-editor and I also had our formative educational years on the continent during these periods when Jerry Rawlings could not be avoided in our educational pathways. Jerry Rawlings did not only dominate Ghana’s political landscape but his name was popular across the African continent by his long stay in power as a military leader (1981–1993) and a democratically elected President of Ghana (1993–2001). For some, Rawlings epitomizes the leadership traits and ideals of some of our transformational/nationalist African leaders such as Kwame Nkrumah, Jomo Kenyatta, and Kenneth Kaunda, among many others, who not only fought for our freedom from European colonial rule but were also outspoken about anti-imperialism and neocolonialism in post-colonial Africa. These nationalist leaders promoted the ethos and ideas of Pan-Africanism, African personality, and African unity. Jerry Rawlings also promoted these ideas during his era.
Former President Rawlings was considered by most as a transformational leader, and Ghana is today a shining example of stability, democracy, and development because of the leading role he played in the country’s transition to democratic rule in the early 1990s. Many of his admirers also share the view of how former President Rawlings was a compassionate leader who devoted his life to improving the human condition, especially the plight of ordinary people. He was a fearless, pragmatic, and visionary leader with big ideas. It is also well-documented in the extant literature that the role and leadership of Jerry Rawlings concerning his pragmatic decision to accept and implement the external aid package that was negotiated in the 1980s were critically important in changing the direction of Ghana to growth/development from a near economic collapse and social decay in the 1980s. While recognizing the roles that have been played by previous political leaders of Ghana and ordinary Ghanaians in the progress and development of the country since 1957,
Ghana’s admiration today in the international community as one of Africa’s stable and advancing democratic countries is partly due, as many have argued, to Jerry Rawlings’ leadership. His post-presidency roles on the African continent with the African Union (AU) on important issues of confict resolution and peacebuilding initiatives have also been widely applauded.
Yet, Jerry Rawlings has also been despised by some because of his authoritarian style of leadership and human rights issues, especially during the military regime of the AFRC and the PNDC eras. In sum, the name Jerry John Rawlings, or J.J. Rawlings, as he was popularly known, like other political leaders of history, tends to evoke mixed reactions and multifaceted views, opinions, and varied perspectives among scholars, public intellectuals, and ordinary Ghanaians and Africans. His passing on November 12, 2020, not only shocked and saddened many Ghanaians, Africans, and those in the African diaspora, but going through the process of thinking about J.J. Rawlings and the critical question of how his leadership and legacy can be critically assessed/examined and how he can best be remembered, gave birth to my idea to put this scholarly book together to honor his memory. Thanks to my colleague, and co-editor, Dr. Sabella Ogbobode Abidde, who agreed to the idea of us working together as co-editors on this important and timely book in a mutual spirit of scholarly collaboration, Pan-Africanism, and African unity to honor late former President Jerry Rawlings’ leadership and legacy.
Kent, OH, USA
Felix Kumah-Abiwu Montgomery, AL, USA
Sabella Ogbobode Abidde Fall 2022
Acknowledgment
The process of writing an important/timely book of this nature can be challenging, but it can equally be rewarding when surrounded by loving family members, trusted colleagues, and other great friends who provide constant support and encouragement along the way.
We would like to express our profound thanks and appreciation to our immediate family members for their extraordinary support and encouragement throughout the process of working on this book.
To our colleagues and fellow scholars who have contributed to this edited volume, we say thank you for sharing your ideas and perspectives on Jerry Rawlings. Special thanks to the anonymous reviewers of the proposal and the manuscript. Your constructive comments and useful suggestions have enriched the book. Thank you!
Thanks to colleagues in our respective academic departments at Kent State University and Alabama State University and other friends in the academy who have continued to encourage us to keep the scholarly agenda on political leadership in Africa and other critical issues on African affairs moving forward for a better future for the continent.
We also appreciate the professionals at Springer Publishing for all their support. To you, Lorraine Klimowich, for your extraordinary guidance and professionalism throughout the process. Thanks to you, Mahalakshmi Saravanan, and the rest of the team for your excellent work.
And thanks to you, the reader of this important book on the leadership and legacy of Jerry John Rawlings. We hope that your knowledge and understanding of his leadership and legacy in terms of his achievements and limitations as a political leader will inspire and challenge us to create a brighter pathway for Africa’s effective leadership, peace, security, democracy, and overall development.
Introduction
The literature on African politics and the broader feld of African affairs has for several decades underscored the importance of effective political leadership to Africa’s peace, stability, and development. In other words, weak, corrupt, visionless, and ineffective political leadership as well as fragmented state institutions have contributed largely to Africa’s current challenges. While the African continent continues to suffer from these challenging issues, especially with poor leadership, Africa has also been blessed with transformational political leaders such as late former President Jerry John Rawlings of Ghana among other extraordinary leaders in the post-colonial era. To enhance our knowledge and understanding of former President Jerry Rawlings’ political leadership and legacy as one of Africa’s transformational leaders, the idea emerged to produce this edited volume titled, Jerry John Rawlings-Leadership and Legacy: A Pan-African Perspective.
The main thesis of the book focuses on the centrality of political leadership and strong democratic institutions as important elements for Africa’s quest for development with a focus on Jerry Rawlings. The emphasis on Rawlings’ leadership and legacy is meant to provide a context of how his political leadership was instrumental in changing the direction of Ghana from a near economic collapse and social decay in the 1980s to a country that has embraced political reforms in the 1990s. While former President Rawlings has generally been described as one of Africa’s transformational/compassionate leaders who devoted his life to improving the human condition, especially the plight of the ordinary people, he was also criticized by some for his authoritarian style of leadership and human rights issues. The central purpose of the book is threefold. First, it examines the role and place of good and effective political leadership in the development of Africa. Second, it seeks to situate Jerry Rawlings’ political leadership and legacy in post-colonial Ghana and the rest of Africa. Finally, the book seeks to enhance our knowledge and understanding of Jerry Rawlings as one of Africa’s preeminent political leaders, although he has also been vilifed by some for his limitations.
To achieve the above objectives of the book, we have been successful in gathering leading experts/scholars on African politics and the broader feld of African affairs who have contributed outstanding chapters on various aspects or perspectives on the leadership and legacy of Jerry Rawlings. These perspectives cover the political eras of Jerry Rawlings on critical issues of political leadership, Ghana’s foreign economic relations, policy making/administration, heritage tourism, gender and women issues, Pan-Africanism, and the African diaspora. By systematically examining the different viewpoints of Rawlings’ leadership and legacy, we have provided a balanced perspective in our efforts to better understand his leadership/ legacy and Ghana’s political landscape during his eras. The Pan-African perspective of the book with regards to the contributors and their interdisciplinary felds of expertise also makes the book unique, timely, and novel.
The book contains a total of 20 chapters from contributors with backgrounds and expertise in various disciplines in the social sciences. Areas of their expertise range from the felds of political science, foreign policy, public administration, policy studies, economics, legal studies, anthropology, geography/urban studies, and sociology. The book is divided into three main parts. Part I provides an overview of governance and leadership in Africa, while Part II examines Ghana’s political landscape with a focus on the political eras of Jerry Rawlings. Part III explores Rawlings’ leadership and legacy from a Pan-African perspective.
Chapter 1, which is titled “Leadership-Institutions-Development Nexus in Africa: A Jerry John Rawlings Perspective,” draws on the leadership-institutionsdevelopment nexus or framework to examine leadership and development in Africa with a focus on Jerry Rawlings. Written by Eunice Annan-Aggrey, Senanu K. Kutor, Elmond Bandauko, and Godwin Arku, the chapter argues that poor leadership and weak institutions are still responsible for Africa’s development challenges. Challenges such as poverty, inequalities, unemployment, conficts, and poor public service delivery are cases in point. With regards to Jerry Rawlings, the authors argue that he has been hailed as one of Africa’s transformational leaders given the importance of his leadership in impacting state institutions and development in Ghana and the rest of Africa.
Chapter 2, with the title, “Africa’s Nationalist and Transformational Leaders: A Survey,” by Richmond Danso, looks at the life and politics of three African leadersKwame Nkrumah (Ghana), Jerry John Rawlings (Ghana), and Thomas Sankara (Burkina Faso). The chapter argues that these leaders have not only left a lasting footprint on the politics of their countries as well as the continent, but they also had a huge impact on the political, economic, and social aspects of their respective countries and the African continent. The chapter underscores the commonality of the three leaders in their extraordinary impact and the way they have inspired each other, especially Rawlings and Sankara. Thus, Jerry Rawlings drew inspiration from Kwame Nkrumah’s political thought and ideas on Pan-Africanism, African unity, and anti-imperialism, while Thomas Sankara was also inspired by Jerry Rawlings’ revolutionary ethos and ideas on anti-imperialism.
In Chap. 3, “One-Party and Military Dictatorship in Africa,” Samuel Kof Darkwa provides a compelling analysis or explanations for the emergence of one-party rule and military regimes in post-colonial Africa. Describing these authoritarian governments as the “twin of African woes,” the chapter argues that the twin woes have contributed adversely to the continent’s problems far more than any disaster the continent had ever witnessed. The author is of the view that governance in Africa has become a racketeering venture where political leaders assume and maintain political power to beneft themselves and their collaborators with less concern for the plight of the ordinary people. The author observes that Jerry Rawlings stood out as one of the exceptions by carrying out a successful economic transformation of Ghana and returning the country to a democratic rule, but his minuses appear to overshadow his pluses.
Chapter 4 by Olusoji A. Odeyemi, titled “Kwame Nkrumah, Obafemi Awolowo, and Jerry Rawlings: Continuity and Change in Political Leadership,” added to the previous discussions on the challenges of Africa’s political leadership. The author posits that Africa has had a mixture of tribulations and triumphs in its post-colonial history and leadership. The author maintains that the absence of effective leadership and good governance has continued to fuel instability and underdevelopment on the continent. Amid these challenges, Kwame Nkrumah and Obafemi Awolowo were transformational leaders because of their courage and commitment to addressing the problems of Africa. Jerry Rawlings, the author argues, fts a similar category of Africa’s transformational leaders because of the way he was decisive in his decision that rescued Ghana from a near economic collapse in the 1980s.
In Chap. 5, titled “On the Question of Governance: Has Africa Seen the Last of the Coup Years?”, Sabella Ogbobode Abidde examines the impact of military coups on leadership and governance across Africa. The chapter begins by looking at coup d’états and the question of whether Africa has seen the last of the coup years. The chapter explores some of the fundamental factors that have contributed to coup d’états and attempted coups in Africa since the independence era. While there have been less than 20 successful coups from 2011 to 2022 given the acceptance of multiparty democracy by African states, the recent coups on the continent are raising further concerns among scholars. At the same time, given the infrequency of coups and the continuing acceptance of democratic rule, the author wonders if Africa has indeed turned the corner to embrace multiparty and representative democracy.
Chapter 6 introduces the second part of the book authored by Kwame Badu Antwi-Boasiako and Charles Fredrick Abel. In their chapter titled “Jerry Rawlings: An Offcer, a Statesman, and a Pan-Africanist,” the authors examine how Flight Lieutenant Rawlings took up the leadership in Ghana in times of tumult, confict, and confusion. The chapter argues that Jerry Rawlings applied a model of governing that was grounded in the insights of Machiavelli’s political thought, which maintains that in times of instability in a state, a strong leader is needed to save the republic. The chapter concludes that Rawlings was not only a courageous military offcer but a statesman with a vision whose leadership spanned beyond Ghana as he called for African unity, including those in the diaspora, which made him a Pan-Africanist.
Michael Kpessa-Whyte’s Chap. 7, titled “Jerry John Rawlings and the Politics of Risky Public Policy Decisions in Uncertain Times,” examines the lingering puzzle, among others, about Jerry Rawlings as a military Head of State and later democratically elected civilian President of Ghana and his sudden foreign economic decision to switch from socialist policies to neoliberal capitalism policies in the 1980s. Drawing on prospects theory, the chapter offers fresh insights on Rawlings’ policy shift from socialist policies to policies inspired by neo-liberal capitalism in the early 1980s. The chapter illustrates the central thesis of prospects theoretic decision analysis, which suggests that leaders opt for highly risky choices when faced with threats to their survival, but are more cautious when confronting obvious gains.
In Chap. 8, “An Assessment of Social Development under Jerry John Rawlings,” Emmanuel Adugu argues that Ghana’s implementation of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank–supported Economic Recovery Program (ERP) and Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) in the 1980s and 1990s under the government of Jerry John Rawlings was successful in reversing Ghana’s protracted economic decline with its associated dysfunctional effects on social development. The chapter employs the Human Development Index and Gini Coeffcient trends in Ghana from 1990 to 2000 for the analyses. The chapter argues that the ERP and SAP programs that were pursued by the Rawlings administration facilitated the privatization of telecommunications services, which resulted in increased accessibility to information and communication technologies to many Ghanaians throughout the country. The author concludes by underscoring the argument that Rawlings provided the political leadership that was needed for these socio-economic achievements.
Chapter 9 by Rosina Foli, titled “Trajectories and Contrasts of Policymaking under Jerry John Rawlings,” examines Ghana’s policy changes under the leadership of Jerry Rawlings, who started his rule in 1981 as a military leader and metamorphosed into a civilian leader by 1993. Signifcant policy changes that have occurred during the administration of Rawlings include the shift from a socialist-oriented policy outlook at the beginning of his rule in 1981 to a market-oriented policy by 1983. The author argues that the economic recovery/structural adjustment programs (ER/SAPs) that were adopted in 1983 continued into the Fourth Republic and helped to deepen the interaction between Ghana and many global fnancial institutions. Although the switch from military to constitutional rule was nudged by both internal and external factors, the commitment of Rawlings to the process is applaudable. The chapter suggests that the ER/SAPs may have contributed to the transition to constitutional rule. Besides the 1992 constitution, Rawlings, according to the author, will also be remembered for instituting the local government system through the PNDC Law 207 and his commitment to popular participation in governance.
In Chap. 10, “Trends in Ghana’s Public Administration under Jerry Rawlings,” James Korku Agbodzakey looks at the trends in Ghana’s public administration under Jerry Rawlings. The chapter focuses on four key areas: decentralization, civil service reform, economic recovery program/structural adjustment program, and nongovernmental sectors’ contributions in the social policy domain. The chapter interrogates whether public administration in Ghana during the Rawlings era
concentrated on building and increasing state capacities or measuring state outputs and outcomes because of the various realities and initiatives for citizens’ beneft. The chapter highlights some of the achievements of public service reforms that were undertaken during the Rawlings era.
Chapter 11, “Gender Equality and Women Empowerment under the Jerry John Rawlings Government (1981–2001),” which is authored by Maame Adwoa GyekyeJandoh and Ivy-Chara Owusuaa Yeboah, highlights the trajectory of Ghana’s gender equality and women’s empowerment experience under the leadership of Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings and his PNDC regime from 1981 to 1992 and later the presidency of Jerry Rawlings and his National Democratic Congress (NDC) from 1993 to 2001. With data from secondary sources and a few expert interviews with key persons in both the PNDC and NDC governments, this chapter presents an analysis of the quest for gender equality and women empowerment in Ghana from 1981 to 2001 when Jerry John Rawlings served as Ghana’s head of state and a democratically elected President.
Cindy Pressley Davis and Kwame Badu Antwi-Boasiako, in Chap. 12, “Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings and the 31st December Women’s Movement,” underscore the empowerment of Ghanaian women through the lens of various women organizations with a particular reference to Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings and the 31st December Women’s Movement (31st DWM). The chapter argues that Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, the wife of Jerry John Rawlings, who ruled Ghana from 1981 to 2001, had great support from Jerry Rawlings in building a strong women’s movement that became a force to reckon with in women’s affairs in Ghana. The authors argue that the initial momentum that welcomed the Movement in its early days died when there was an impasse among the leadership of the Movement. It was seen more as a political wing of the ruling party instead of a women’s nongovernmental group for empowerment and development which further affected the momentum of the Movement after Rawlings left power.
Chapter 13 by Felix Kumah-Abiwu, titled “Ghana’s Fourth Republic, Democratic Governance, and Jerry Rawlings,” explores the evolution of Ghana’s Fourth Republic and Jerry Rawlings’ role/legacy in the democratic process since 1992. The chapter looks at Ghana’s state institutions and other democratic elements in terms of their successes and challenges in the Fourth Republic. Democratic elements such as the media, civil society groups, judiciary, political parties, and electoral justice issues or post-election confict resolution matters have been examined. While recognizing some of the faws that have continued to face Ghana’s democracy, the chapter argues that former President Rawlings’ contributions to Ghana’s democracy cannot be overlooked when examining the evolution and consolidation of the country’s Fourth Republic.
Chapter 14, “Jerry Rawlings’ Leadership, Media, Civil Society, Political Parties and Ghana’s Democratic Consolidation Process,” by Peter Arthur, provides a good transition for the discourse on Rawlings’ leadership in Ghana’s Fourth Republic. The chapter observes that Ghana’s democracy has been a relatively stable one since the country transitioned to democratic rule in 1992 under Jerry Rawlings with several peaceful and competitive presidential and parliamentary elections as well as the
alternation in power between the two main political parties. Although remarkable, the author argues that signifcant democratic challenges remain. Within the context of these issues, the chapter draws on the theory of good governance and democratic consolidation in examining how civil society organizations (CSOs), political parties, and the media are infuencing the governance and democratic process in Ghana. Particularly, the chapter examines the strengths and weaknesses of political parties, CSOs, and the media as agents of democratic consolidation. The debate on the leadership and legacy of Jerry Rawlings, which has been perceived as playing an instrumental role in Ghana’s democratic transition by initiating political reforms in the early1990s, has also been examined.
In Chap. 15, titled “Complexities of Ghana’s Foreign Policy under Jerry John Rawlings (1981–2001),” Felix Kumah-Abiwu and Kwame Boafo-Arthur have explored the complexities of Ghana’s foreign policy under Jerry John Rawlings. While acknowledging the fact that Rawlings has been part of Ghana’s political landscape at three different times, the frst being the short period of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) regime in 1979, the chapter focuses on his two longer eras. That is the PNDC era, which lasted from 1981 to 1993, where Rawlings served as a military leader and Chairman of the PNDC, and the second major era (1993–2001), where he served two terms as the democratically elected President of Ghana’s Fourth Republic. To understand the trends and complexities of Ghana’s foreign policy during the two eras, the chapter draws on the role approach or role theory of foreign policymaking for the analyses of the chapter with emphasis on the leadership and legacy of Jerry Rawlings and Ghana’s foreign policy making.
The third part of the book which focuses on the Pan-African perspective of Jerry Rawlings starts with Chap. 16, titled “Post-Presidency of Jerry Rawlings and the African Union.” Authored by Timothy Adivilah Balag’kutu, the chapter examines the legacy of former President Jerry Rawlings’ relationship with the African Union (AU) and his role as a continental statesman and a Pan-Africanist. Drawing on his role as AU High Representative to AMISON in Somalia, the author applies Mazrui’s dichotomous (national-continental) theory of Pan-African greatness to analyze how Rawlings’ leadership/legacy refects his commitment to Pan-Africanism. The chapter argues that Rawlings’ militaristic arrival onto the Ghanaian national stage, his ultra-disciplinarian military rule, and some of the excesses under his revolutionary stewardship may have overshadowed his leadership and contribution to Ghana’s development and history. However, for his infuence and contribution to development on the African continent and Pan-Africanism, Ex-President Rawlings commands overwhelming respect and appeal across Africa.
Chapter 17, “Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings, Pan Africanism, Heritage Tourism and Ghana’s Development,” which is authored by Rachel Ama Asaa Engmann, provides a good insight into how Flight Lieutenant Rawlings employed heritage tourism to advance the socio-economic development of Ghana. The chapter observes that Rawlings attempted to reconcile the neoliberal economic demands of the World Bank and IMF with his government’s socialist agenda, and one of his key strategies was to employ heritage associated with Pan-Africanism, the transatlantic slave trade, and slavery to attract foreign capital investment, uniting Ghanaians,
continental Africans, and African diasporans, through the development of heritage tourism. Drawing on personal interviews conducted with late President Rawlings for the study, the author adopts a chronological approach to addressing three objectives. First, the chapter introduces the role of heritage and its relationship to nationbuilding and nationalist agendas in postcolonial Ghana. Second, it describes Rawlings’ innovative initiative that capitalized on the commodifcation of heritage – more specifcally, the coastal forts and castles associated with the transatlantic slave trade – for African diasporic consumption. Third, it traces Rawlings’ legacies as each successive Ghanaian government has attempted to build upon its heritage tourism initiatives to further heritage and development agendas.
Chapter 18, “A Comparative Analysis of Structural Adjustment Programs in Ghana and Zambia: Policies and Performance” by Chali Nondo and Felix KumahAbiwu, provides readers with useful knowledge and information on the historical and contemporary connections between Ghana and Zambia. The chapter traces the IMF/World Bank’s inspired structural adjustment programs (SAP) that were implemented in both countries in the early 1980s with explanations for the reforms and their impact on both countries. The chapter engages in a comparative analysis of the policy reforms in Ghana and Zambia during the 1980s and analyzes their relation to economic growth and performance. In Ghana, the SAPs were adopted by late former President Rawlings, while in Zambia, it was implemented under the leadership of former President Kenneth Kaunda. Both countries launched the SAPs in 1983. The socio-economic impact on both countries in terms of economic variables such as per capita GDP, trade openness (net FDI infows), poverty, and income inequality have been examined.
In Chap. 19, titled “Pan-African Women Empowerment: Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE)-Ghana Chapter,” Peter Otiato Ojiambo, looks at Rawlings’ leadership and legacy with respect to gender equality and empowerment, especially in the feld of education in Ghana and Africa. The chapter discusses the role Rawlings’ leadership played in creating space for leading Ghanaian women educators to champion gender equality and women empowerment through the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE). FAWE is the only Pan-African non-governmental organization that has for the last three decades strived to promote girls’ and women’s education in Africa. It strives to ensure that African girls receive equal education which is vital for the economic, social, and political development of the continent. The chapter examines the literature on girls/women education in Ghana/Africa, what FAWE is, how the idea of FAWE came about, its creation, and FAWE-Ghana Chapter’s work in advancing gender equality and empowerment during the Rawlings era.
Finally, in Chap. 20, “Jerry Rawlings, Pan-Africanism, and the African Diaspora,” Rodney Worrell takes readers into a deeper echelon of the African diaspora’s perspective on the leadership/legacy of Jerry Rawlings. The author notes that late former President Rawlings must be credited for re-establishing Ghana as the epicenter of Pan-Africanism and for building a close bond with the African diaspora that seemed to have been marginalized with the rise of continental Pan-Africanism. The chapter examines the initiatives and policies pursued by President Rawlings which
promoted the bonds of Pan-Africanism between Africa and the diaspora. The chapter provides readers with a working defnition of the disputed concepts of PanAfricanism and the diaspora. It discusses the period when Ghana was the hub of Pan-Africanism under the leadership of Kwame Nkrumah. The author explains the signifcance of Rawlings’ efforts in canonizing three giants of Pan-Africanism: WEB Du Bois, George Padmore, and Kwame Nkrumah which further elevated Ghana’s image/status as the “mecca” for the African living in the diaspora. Rawlings’ efforts in promoting Pan-African cultural festivals such as PANFEST, Emancipation Day celebration in Ghana, heritage tourism, and dual citizenship for the diaspora have been examined.
Endorsement
The edited volume on leadership and the legacy of Ghana’s Jerry J. Rawlings provides readers with empirically grounded analyses, and interpretively sophisticated and cogent description of how and why leadership matters in the socio-economic and political development of Africa. With an array of contributions by Africanist scholars who have profound knowledge of Ghana’s pioneering role in PanAfricanism and the continent’s liberation, this book constitutes a welcome addition to our understanding of African politics and the challenges of democratic consolidation. The interdisciplinary and comparative approach makes this volume accessible, and it will be of immense interest not only to scholars in the felds of African Studies, democratization, governance, and political economy but also policy makers alike.
—Dauda Abubakar, Professor of Political Science & African Studies, University of Michigan-Flint, USA
Except Kwame Nkrumah (frst President), J.J. Rawlings has had tremendous impact on modern-day Ghanaian living and work conditions. By ruling Ghana three separate times, he assumed peculiar roles in Ghana’s history. Equally important, he led and sustained one of Africa’s and indeed one of the world’s most neo-liberal economies through IMF-World Bank backing starting in the early 1980s. This book is the frst on the theme of the roles and legacy of Rawlings in the context of Africa’s leadership and governance, using Pan-Africanist and interdisciplinary approaches. Thus, the authors do not only situate Rawlings’ impact on Ghana but also in and outside Ghana and the world. The Ghanaian, African, and world perspectives in this book make it an important publication on Africa/global politics, governance, and development.
—Kwamina Panford, Professor Emeritus, Africa/Global Political Economy, Energy, Natural Resources, and Human Capital. Northeastern University, Boston, USA, and UENR, Sunyani, Ghana
Whereas most studies focus on the role of institutions and how to reform them to make the state work, the state in Africa has been shaped and remains an arena where the political leadership and idiosyncratic characteristics of leaders nurture institutional growth and nation building. This book’s incisive and elaborate focus on Jerry Rawlings’ state-building efforts and intentional democratic leadership in Ghana provides the needed insights for analyzing and modelling political leadership and nation-building in Africa. It is highly recommended for politicians, academics and consultants on African politics and governance.
—Gedion Onyango, Senior Lecturer, University of Nairobi, Kenya
From Chairman Rawlings to President Rawlings, many in Africa and across the world were enthralled by his personality and leadership style. Beyond the display of the pivotal issues that will continue to defne his legacy, this intelligent volume of carefully collected chapters vividly projects the man and his message. This represents an excellent guide.
—Richard Aidoo, Professor, Coastal Carolina University, USA
A. Odeyemi 5 On the Question of Governance: Has Africa Seen the Last of the Coup Years?
James Korku Agbodzakey
Maame Adwoa Gyekye-Jandoh and Ivy-Chara Owusuaa Yeboah
List of Figures
Fig. 1.1 Leadership-institutions-development nexus. (Source: Figure designed by authors with ideas from Dartey-Baah (2014)) 5
Fig. 6.1 Saving the Republic. (Source: Figure designed by authors with ideas from Gagne (2011))
Fig. 8.1 HDI Trends in Ghana from 1990–2000. (Data sources: World Bank, UNDP, TheGlobaleconomy, and Ourworldindata)
83
120
Fig. 8.2 Ghana’s GDP per capita, ppp: 1990–2000. (Data sources: World Bank, UNDP, TheGlobaleconomy, and Ourworldindata) 121
Fig. 8.3 Mobile subscribers per 100 fxed main lines in Ghana: 1995–2004. (Source: ITU, 2004) 129
Fig. 10.1 The fgure depicts public administration trends during the Rawlings era
Fig. 18.1 Net ODA Received in Sub-Saharan Africa (measured in Billions of dollars) (Source: Figure designed by the authors with data from the World Bank) 290
Fig. 18.2 Per capita GDP growth in Ghana, 1970–1993. (Source: Figure designed by authors based on World Bank Development indicators data)
Fig. 18.3 Ghana’s external debt stock (in millions of dollars), 1 970–1993. (Source: Figure designed by authors based on World Bank Development indicators data)
Fig. 18.4 Comparison of GDP per capita (2010 U.S. Dollars) for Zambia, Ghana, Kenya, and China, 1964–1980. (Source: Figure designed by authors based on World Bank Development indicators data)
Fig. 18.5 Historical prices of copper/MT (US $), 1961–1976. (Source: Authors’ calculation based on data from the International Monetary Fund)
Fig. 18.6 Percent change in GDP per capita (constant 2010 US$) in Zambia, 1964–1980. (Source: Authors’ calculation based on data from the International Monetary Fund).
Fig. 18.7 Zambia’s current account balance, 1970–1992. (Source: Authors’ design based on World Bank Development indicators data)
303
List of Tables
Table 5.1 Number of Military Coups (successful and attempted) per Sub-region, 1960–2022
Table 8.1 HDI trend in Ghana from 1990–2000
Table 8.2 Access to telephones in 2000 by world region
Table 8.3 Digital access index for Ghana
Table 18.1 Macroeconomic indicators in Ghana, 1970–1982
Table 18.2 Contribution of copper production to Zambia’s Economy, 1964–1978
Table 18.3 Selected macroeconomic data for Zambia, 1964–1992
About the Editors
Felix Kumah-Abiwu is an Associate Professor in the Department of Africana Studies at Kent State University in the United States (US). He is also the Founding Director of the Center for African Studies at Kent State. He received his PhD in Political Science from West Virginia University in the US. He also studied at Ohio University for his graduate degree program in Communication and International Development. He obtained his BA degree in Political Science from the University of Ghana and an MA in International Affairs from the Legon Centre for International Affairs & Diplomacy, University of Ghana, Legon. His research focuses on political leadership in Africa, foreign policy analysis, elections/democratization, African security/international relations, narcotics policy, Black males/public education in the African diaspora, and African-centered theories. In addition to his published books, scholarly book reviews, encyclopedia entries, and several book chapters, Dr. Kumah-Abiwu’s scholarly articles have also appeared in the Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs (The Round Table), Journal of Pan African Studies, West Africa Review, International Journal of Public Administration, Journal of Men’s Studies, Urban Education, Journal of Economics/Sustainable Development, Commonwealth & Comparative Politics, and African Security Review.
Sabella Ogbobode Abidde is Professor of Political Science and a member of the graduate faculty at Alabama State University. He holds an MA in political science from Minnesota State University Mankato, and a PhD in African studies, world affairs, public policy and development studies from Howard University. His has edited books including The Challenges of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (Springer, 2021); China in Africa: Between Imperialism and Partnership in Humanitarian Development (Lexington Books, 2020); and Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean: The Case for Bilateral and Multilateral Cooperation (Lexington Books, 2018). Dr. Abidde is a member of the Association of Global South Studies (AGSS); the Caribbean Studies Association (CSA); the Latin American Studies Association (LASA); and the African Studies Research Forum (ASRF).
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About the Authors
Charles Fredrick Abel holds a JD, MA, and PhD, from Duquesne University and the University of Maryland respectively. He is Professor of Political Science and Public Administration at Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas, USA. He is the author of Punishment and Restitution, Justice in Public Administration, Evolutionary Critical Theory, Dependency Theory and the Return of High Politics, and in Defense of Political Trials. His articles, chapters, and encyclopedia entries include a broad range of topics in the felds of administrative justice, organizational theory, political economy, public law, educational ethics, political methodology, international political economy, and criminal theory. Additionally, he has practiced law as both a city and county attorney and is a recent recipient of The Emerald Literati Award for outstanding authorial contributions.
Emmanuel Adugu PhD is a Research Methodologist and Lecturer in the Department of Government, Sociology, Social Work, and Psychology at the University of West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados. He is an Ohio State University-trained development sociologist and a certifed survey research methodologist. His research and publication profle focus on climate change in the context of sustainable development; automation/future of work and social trust; civic engagement; digital activism; political consumption; and action research designs. His publications have appeared in several scholarly journals.
James Korku Agbodzakey is Associate Professor of Public Leadership and the Director of the Urban SERCH Institute at the University of North Texas Dallas. He earned his PhD in Public Administration from Florida Atlantic University. He also obtained two graduate degrees in Public Administration and International Affairs from Ohio University. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Ghana. He has worked for governments, private and nonproft entities in Africa, the U.S., and the Caribbean on various projects. He championed public health and sustainable development efforts through his work with the Florida Atlantic University’s Public Procurement Research Center, Broward Sheriff’s Offce, United Nations, International Monetary Fund/Kelly Services,
University of The Bahamas, Nova Southeastern University, and Save Lower Volta Network, among many others. Dr. Agbodzakey served on the Executive Committee and National Council of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA), and as the President of the Conference of Minority Public Administrators (COMPA) in 2020–2021. His publications have appeared in several scholarly journals.
Eunice Annan-Aggrey is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Geography and Environment at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada. Her research interests include international development, the Sustainable Development Goals, local governance, gender equality, poverty reduction, and environmental sustainability.
Kwame Badu Antwi-Boasiako PhD, is a journalist by profession, a former broadcaster and football commentator with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation. Schooled at the Ghana Institute of Journalism, Accra, Ghana, and the University of North Texas, Denton, Texas. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in journalism and two master’s degrees in journalism and public administration. He also attended Mississippi State University for a doctorate in public policy and administration. Currently, the Chair of the Department of Government and Full Professor of Public Administration and Political Science at Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas, USA. His primary research focuses on terrorism, traditional institutions and democracy in Africa, decentralization, affrmative action, and diversity in the public sector. He co-authored a book: Traditional Institutions and Public Administration in Democratic Africa and co-edited: The Theories of Decentralization and Local Government: Implementation, Implications, and Realities: A Global Perspective. He has published in several journals including Political Preferences, International Social Science Review, Journal of Southwest Council of Latin American Studies, Journal of African Studies and Development, Administration and Society among many others.
Godwin Arku is a Professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Western Ontario, London Ontario, Canada. His research interests span the ‘urban’ and ‘economic’ sub-division of human geography, especially the transformation of urban systems in a changing global environment. He is also interested in issues of Third World development, especially in Africa. Professor Arku is also the editor-inchief of the African Geographical Review (AGR).
Peter Arthur is Associate Professor of Political Science and International Development Studies at Dalhousie University, Canada. His research interests focus on sub-Saharan Africa, with an emphasis on the contribution of small-scale enterprises, disruptive technologies, new regionalism, capacity development, postconfict reconstruction, the governance of oil, and natural resources management. His works have appeared in edited volumes and journals, including Africa Today, African Studies Review, Commonwealth and Comparative Politics, and Journal of Contemporary African Studies.
Timothy A. Balag’kutu is a Lecturer at the Centre for Peace and Security Research, University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) in Ghana. He holds a PhD in Global Governance and Human Security from University of Massachusetts Boston; two Masters’ degrees in Political Science and International Affairs from Ohio University; and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Swahili from University of Ghana, Legon. A multidisciplinary researcher/scholar, his research interests include non-Western international relations theory, African international relations, peace and security, democracy and democratization, as well as, extractive and environmental sustainability, with regional expertise in Africa. His work has appeared in Routledge Handbook of Environmental Confict and Peacebuilding; A Research Agenda for Global Environmental Politics; Corporate Social Responsibility and Canada’s Role in Africa’s Extractive Sectors; The Extractive Industries and Society; African Studies Quarterly; and Commonwealth and Comparative Politics
Elmond Bandauko is a PhD Candidate and SSHRC Vanier Scholar in the Department of Geography and Environment at the University of Western Ontario in London Ontario, Canada. His research interests include urban transformation in African cities (gated communities and new cities), smart cities, gender, and urban development, Urban policy, Housing struggles of the urban poor, and urban informality in cities of the developing world.
Kwame Boafo-Arthur is a Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Ghana, Legon. He holds a BA and MA in Political Science from the University of Ghana and Carleton University Ottawa respectively. He received his PhD from the University of Ghana. He is also a Barrister-at-Law and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Ghana. He was a former Director of the Legon Centre for International Affairs and Diplomacy (LECIAD) and a Fulbright African Senior Research Scholar at UCLA, 1997–98. He has published extensively on Ghana’s Foreign Policy, Ghanaian Politics, Globalization, Africa’s Political Economy and Chieftaincy and development among others. He is the editor of Ghana: One Decade of the Liberal State (Zed London, 2007), Voting for Democracy in Ghana Vols. 1 & 2 (Freedom Publications, Legon, Accra 2006) co-editor of Local Government in Ghana: Grassroots Participation in the 2002 Local Government Elections (Unifow, Accra, 2003) and author of Democracy and Stability in West Africa: The Ghanaian Experience (DCPR/NAI Uppsala, 2008). He has published in Research Review, the Journal of Third World Studies, Journal of Asia and African Studies, African Journal of International Affairs, The Journal of African Policy Studies.
Richmond Danso received his PhD in International Relations and American Government from the Department of Political Science at Howard University. He also earned an MPA from Montana State University, Bozeman and an undergraduate degree in Political Science from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana. His research focuses on governance, leadership, and development in Africa. He has taught classes in American government, political science, international relations, and Africana studies at Howard University and Trinity
Washington University. His writings have appeared in Bertelsmann Foundation’s Transformation Index (BTI) and the Washington Post. He is also a regular guest on different local and international TV programs including Voice of America’s Straight Talk Africa and Africa 54 where he discusses issues relating to Africa’s development and governance.
Samuel Kof Darkwa is the Director of Governance and Administration at the Institute of Economic Affairs, Ghana (IEA-Ghana). He received his MA and PhD in Political Science from West Virginia University. He also has MA in Linguistics and Literature from the University of Wisconsin, Madison as well as a BA in Political Science from the University of Ghana, Legon. His research interest focuses on electoral politics and democratization, public policy and administration, political communication, comparative foreign policy, international development, and African Diaspora. Dr. Darkwa has several scholarly publications, including articles and book chapters. His recent work (book chapter) with his colleagues on the “Historical Perspectives of Policymaking and Administration in Africa” has appeared in the Routledge Handbook of Public Policy in Africa. He has also written book reviews published by the African Studies Quarterly
Cindy Pressley Davis PhD, is Associate Professor of Public Administration and Director of the Master of Public Administration program at Stephen F Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas, USA. She received her PhD in Public Administration at Florida Atlantic University in 2008, her Juris Doctor from the T.C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond, Virginia in 2001, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Florida in 1998. She has published in a variety of outlets including journals Administrative Theory & Praxis, International Journal of Organization Theory and Behavior, PS: Political Science & Politics, and edited volumes including Toward a More Livable World: Social Dimensions of Sustainability and Civic Education in the Twenty-First Century: A Multidimensional Inquiry. Primary research interests include the sociocultural dimensions of public administration and policy, environmental justice, and diversity in the public sector.
Rachel Ama Asaa Engmann is an Associate Professor and Director of the Christiansborg Archaeological Heritage Project (www.christiansborgarchaeologicalheritageproject.org). She holds a PhD in archaeology from Stanford University (US). She is particularly interested in decolonizing approaches to archaeological heritage praxis. Dr. Engmann’s publications have appeared in several scholarly journals.
Rosina Foli is a Senior Lecturer in the Political Science Department of the University of Ghana. She obtained her doctorate from the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Saskatchewan. She also taught briefy in the Department of Political Studies at the University of Saskatchewan. Her research interests include the social policy in developing countries, governance,
and poverty reduction in sub-Saharan Africa, ideational factors in policy making, and transnational policy processes in the context of national policymaking. Besides her contribution to book chapters, her work has appeared in the following journals: Global Social Policy, Policy and Society, and Poverty and Public Policy.
Maame Adwoa Gyekye-Jandoh is a Senior Lecturer and former head of the Department of Political Science at the University of Ghana, Legon. She received a Bachelor of Political Science (Honors) with Sociology from the University of Ghana, and MA (Comparative Politics and American Politics) and PhD degrees in Political Science (Comparative Politics) from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA, USA. She was a postdoctoral fellow at The Amsterdam School for Social Science Research from January 2009 to December 2012 and consulted for the KONRAD-Adenauer Foundation, Ghana Parliamentary Service Board, and the Centre for Gender Studies and Advocacy, University of Ghana (CEGENSA) among others. Her current research interests include democratic prospects in Africa; electoral politics/democratic consolidation in Ghana; ethnicity/democracy in Africa; civil society and political extremism; gender dimensions of policymaking; and obstacles to women’s participation in politics in Africa. She has published in scholarly journals such as the Contemporary Journal of African Studies, the Ghana Social Science Journal, Legon Journal of the Humanities, Springer Nature, and the African Journal of Democracy and Governance, as well as chapters in edited books published by Palgrave Macmillan, Springer, and CODESRIA.
Michael Kpessa-Whyte is a Political Scientist by profession. He holds a PhD from McMaster University, Ontario, Canada, and currently works as a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, Legon. Between 2013 and 2017 he served as a Policy Advisor at the Offce of the President of the Republic of Ghana, and also an Executive Director of the National Service Scheme. His research is broadly in the areas of public social policy, political behavior, institutional theory, and electoral politics. He is presently a co-Principal Investigator in an Open Society Foundation funded Pan African research project known as the Gender Equitable and Transformative Social Policy in Post-Covid Africa (GETSPA). Dr. Kpessa-Whyte is an activist intellectual with a regular voice in the media on issues of social justice, democracy, civic responsibility, electoral reforms, inclusive development, and nation-building in Ghana and Africa and also the coordinator of the PhD program at the Institute of African Studies.
Senanu Kwasi Kutor is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Geography and Environment at the University of Western Ontario, London, Canada. His research interests span transnationalism, geographies of wisdom, immigration and wellbeing, migration, immigrants’ integration, and urban informality in cities of the developing world.
Chali Nondo is Associate Professor of Economics and Chair of the Business Administration Department in the College of Business at Jackson State University.
He holds a PhD in Natural Resource Economics from West Virginia University and an MBA from the California University of Pennsylvania. His research focuses on environmental and resource economics, energy economics, economic development, effciency and productivity growth, and applied econometrics. His research work has appeared in peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of Energy Economics, Journal of Applied Economics, African Journal of Economic and Sustainable Development, and Energy Development, among others. He has also contributed a book chapter to the collective volume: Econometric Methods for Analyzing Development and is the lead author of the book titled, Environmental Regulations and Economic Growth.
Olusoji A. Odeyemi teaches in the Department of Political Science at Upland College of Education. He has held a previous appointment as a lecturer in the College of Social Science of Wesley University, Ondo, Nigeria where he taught courses in Political Science and International Relations. He received his higher education at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria where he obtained a Master of International Relations. His area of interest is foreign policy analysis, Nigeria’s foreign policy, and African politics. His research activities have led to several publications in scholarly journals, book chapters, and presentations at conferences in Nigeria and Europe.
Peter Otiato Ojiambo is an Associate Professor, Department of African and African American Studies, University of Kansas, USA. He holds a Bachelor of Education degree specializing in Kiswahili and Religious Studies, a Master of Philosophy degree in Sociology of Education from Moi University, Kenya; a Master of Arts degree in International Affairs focusing on African Studies; and a PhD in Educational Studies from Ohio University. Before joining the University of Kansas, he taught at Ohio University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His felds of teaching, research, and publication include African-centered educational biographies; comparative/international education; educational leadership; non-Western educational thought; educational administration; and curriculum. His recent book publications are: Kenyan Youth Education in Colonial and Post-colonial Times: Joseph Kamiru Gikubu’s Impact (Palgrave, 2017) and Erasing Invisibility, Inequity and Social Injustice of Africans in the Diaspora and the Continent (Cambridge Scholars, 2017).
Rodney Worrell is a Lecturer and the Coordinator of Caribbean Civilization in the Department of History & Philosophy at The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados. Worrell is the author of George Padmore’s Black Internationalism, Pan-Africanism in Barbados: An Analysis of the Activities of the Major Pan-African Formations in Barbados. He has co-authored with Horace Campbell, Pan-Africanism, Pan-Africanists, and African Liberation Struggles in the 21st Century. Worrell is presently completing Pan-African Thought and Action in Barbados since 1919. He has extensively published on Pan-Africanism. Worrell is
