Tap to unmute
The REAL Reason Rawlings Killed 3 Former Ghana Presidents (Full Documentary)
Embed
- Published on Mar 4, 2026
- Jerry John Rawlings is remembered as a hero by many-and a ruthless villain by others. In this documentary, we trace the explosive rise of Ghana’s most feared revolutionary: from a young flight lieutenant to the man who seized control of the nation through coups, tribunals, and executions that shocked the country.
This video is for documentary and educational purposes. No images and footage shown are intended to shock the viewer. Everything is displayed in context and censored as much as possible without sacrificing the need to tell a compelling story with the actual footage.
If you love our work, consider supporting the channel via Patreon:
/ bisimedia
Become a Channel Member to get access to perks:
/ @bisimedia
Naira Account No:
7810120458, Wema Bank
Buy Kema a Coffee:
www.buymeacoffee.com/kema
*****
Narration of this video was done with ElevenLabs Voice AI: try.elevenlabs...
*****
Video Sources:
Barbara Harrell-Bond (1978), Politics in Ghana, 1978 - Institute of Current World Affairs Reporticwa.orgicwa.org.
GlobalSecurity.org - “Supreme Military Council (SMC-II) 1978” (John Pike, ed.)globalsecurity.orgglobalsecurity.org.
Jeffrey Haynes (2025), Graphic Online - “Jerry John Rawlings: What is the legacy?”graphic.com.ghgraphic.com.gh.
Jesse W. Shipley (2020), Africa Is a Country - “The passing of Jerry John Rawlings”africasacountry.comafricasacountry.com.
Thaddeus Ulzen (2018), EA Ulzen Memorial Foundation Blog - “May 15, 1979: Flt. Lt. Jerry Rawlings arrested after failed military uprising”eaumf.orgeaumf.org.
Latifa Carlos (2020), Public Agenda (Ghana) - “41 years after June 4 uprising: Any lessons learnt?”publicagenda.newspublicagenda.news.
Kofi Tutu (2021), G-News Blog - “Rawlings’ speech while on trial after his failed coup on 15th May, 1979” (excerpt from Kojo Yankah’s The Trial of J.J. Rawlings)gnews24.news.bloggnews24.news.blog.
Ghana: A Country Study (US Library of Congress, 1990) - Chapter on 1979 coupmarines.milmarines.mil.
Wikipedia - “Jerry Rawlings” (Background on May 15 coup and June 4 uprising)en.wikipedia.orgen.wikipedia.org.
*****
Clips and Image credits:
Getty Images: / gettyimages
AP Archive: / aparchive
British Pathe: / @britishpathe
Maps: www.freevector...
www.vemaps.com
davidrumsey.com
Free Piks: www.freepik.com
Adeyinka Makinde: / @adeyinkamakinde6164
Neill McKee - CUSO in Ghana (1972) / @neillmckee427
Music used
share.epidemic...
#Bisi #Ghana #Rawlings
****
All materials in this video are used for educational purposes and fall within the fair use guidelines. No copyright infringement is intended.
AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: There may be a few links in this description that, at no cost to you, will earn me a commission if you click them and purchase. Don’t worry; we only promote things that have genuinely helped us.
Copyright © Bisi Media 2026
The fact that he even got a trial speaks to how free Ghana has always been.
Trials, and the Police, and the government, in Ghana, are PURE THEATER. The results are bought and paid for at every level. From street cops wanting money, to next level up bribes to keep unsafe polluting tro tro, taxi, and trucks on the road, to bribes to get DVLA to issue licenses and registrations, to bribes to keep your business license, which only escalate to bigger bribes at higher levels of government as you business grows. The anti corruption crusades are PURE THEATER, intended only to create a thin veneer of legitimacy and deniability. Last regime McDan tore down a political rivals Trade Fair. This regime political rivals tore down his warehouse. The is now real justice in Ghana, there is only the justice that you purchase as needed. You purchase credits on your ECG meter, you buy data from MTN, you purchase "justice" by putting cash in the hands of those you are asking to deliver it. And they are brazen about it, and blatantly and openly ASK what you are giving them, and I don't mean just at the police checkpoints either. You can't GET to a trial without bribing the hell out the police to present a case. And once you do, the case gets advanced, and the other side either pays the required bribes to settle it and it goes away.... or else they are convicted. The entire system runs on bribes and influence (which is bought with bribes).
But he didn't give others trials
Wondering why he chose to kill them.Blood on his hands !,,
@Thekogiman that is truly a bizare double standard on him.
@afiyoodede6165 there was an interview he gave where he expressed remorse for that. He clearly regretted that move. I mean, even the British gave kwame a fair trial.
I enjoyed how this video gave a balanced perspective on the Rawlings’ legacy. It is important for us to not idolize our leaders but see them for both their virtues and vices. We can acknowledge human rights abuse and murder while appreciating the return to political and economic stability he ushered in.
Well said .
You did an excellent job putting this documentary together. One of your best works.
Even god killed children, Rawlings killed only adults. He saved Ghana and changed Ghana to what it is today, he was the messiah of our time, human and fearless. yes he had to kill,.
What a smooth watch on this sweet evening
Akuffo biom ei. this name worry ghana with greed a lot lmao
@danieldarko6495😂
The comment I was looking for😂😂😂
Those were the days before fluoride in toothpaste and drinking water.
We are two in a million.❤
Three now
Look up professor Philippe Grandjean.
Its the same guy that proved PFAS was bad in a case against Dupont and 3M. This time he is called in as an expert witness in a case against adding fluoride to drinking water.
His team in Denmark SDU has some recent studies about fluoride affecting infant intelligence.
He was working at Harvard, but I believe he was pushed out for telling everyone about the PFAS again.
i'm gonna be having dinner to this tonight but im already commenting
I really enjoyed the video. Too bad you had to replace the African voice from your earlier videos (which I assumed was yours) with this Western-sounding voice (which I assume is AI). But if it helps with reach, then all the best!
You did justice to this clip.
Interesting watch; precise and beautifully delivered narration. 🎉
He is just a smart and fearless
He was a lucky son of a bitch . He escaped from being killed many times !
Many times . 😮😮😮😮
@123ertrwhen you have balls you make your own luck
He. Is just a con man 🧍♂️
@albertadu3337 I can see your name.
@123ertr You wouldn't be here commenting if they had succeeded. Low IQ
The only legal coup that saved a nation!!!
This is detailed… constructive ❤❤❤❤
Flt lt jj Rawlings is absolutely made of steel RIP
Some stories are full of inspiration - a hero
This is a very good researched sequence of event with no bias in my opinion.
Well done 👏
Thank you for this video
I want to share on this platform all that I know regarding the killing of those officers. In the year 1978 in Takoradi. There was a Political Rally that was held by General Afrifa and Mr Gbedema and some few politicians including lawyers.
The Rally was a response to The then General Acheampong Government over the proposals to the Union Government.
Then . Afrifa announced the neft day in Kumasi calling on Acheampong to withdraw his proposals on the Union Government. For his failure to fo that. Would one day witness a killing of Military Officers. And so the killing of such persons were a divine predictions of which non of us could understand why. So this is what I know as someone who lived in that years ❤❤
Well done for the documentary
Please make videos, with the voices and undeniable truth of words
The tragedy out of this is that the lessons were not learned, and in 2026 Ghana has a fugitive former finance minister.
There is no saint in Ghana. Rawlings himself was corrupt; he always mentioned the word accountability, but he never accounted for the Ghanaian.
@maxwelldroff906You can mention corruption " accusation " against him. He lived in Ghana after his leadership and was subjected to public testimony and investigated while alive. Fast track court was instituted plus the so called reconciliation by Kofour and till date, no one can and has accussed him of anything, facts!
@maxwelldroff906are you a Gen Z
He was in this country and Kuffour tried him in court but found him clean
@maxwelldroff906 you must be a kid because the court investigated him and found nothing on him. Educate yourself
Really enjoyed the documentary
Thanks for such a superb documentary!
Only God can judge Rawlings!!! Let's leave him to God and let's appreciate the good things he did especially the transition to Democratic rule. Well done for a well balanced documentary. 👏🏾
Transition to what democracy ??? He overthrew a democratically-elected government in 1981.
'Only God can judge Rawlings!!! Let's leave him to God'. This, right here, is why many African societies have never really developed. We don't practice any deep critical thinking or analysis and instead simply 'leave things to God'.
@patricktutu5844 Who brought that person?
Good evening our bro thank you for bringing nows Legacy our father Ralis am happy paaa
Those crimianl leaders were after his life, they were better dead than to be alive bcos their regime was chaotic and babaric, evil dwell in them , they were corupted and wicked leaders.
Loved this. Very interesting.
This is a very nice work Bisi, i really enjoyed watching this video looking forward to many more good videos like this from your channel 🫡
I truly missed rawlings regime in Ghana especially given the political climate of today
How many Ghanaians remember the song we used to sing for him in school ? JJ do something before you die lol
Superb documentary
Funny thing, almost everyone in the video is either dead or very old
How do we as African feel like after watching a video like this one? As for me personally, I think we still have a long way to go. For us as African, to build a better Africa we must come together us one, only that way we can change things better for Africa we all love. The question is ,do we all African see that picture? Love for Africa and love for everyone here.
and not a single brave american in a population of 400 million ready to do the same.
all those guns for nothing
Well documented. Peace and God bless...
Rawlings with no doubt is a God sent
The best documentary
Fun fact robert mugabe attended achimota i n Ghana
I remembered vividly
What happened to boakye gyan
These are the good said about him the worse were left out
I miss him😢❤❤❤
Great Man
17:47 This place got me emotional 😢😢😢
Good job papa JJ......❤❤❤❤❤
Thanks, cool story
always liked the ghaneean style-of-beeing.
37:02 Rest In Peace FL JJ Rawlings ❤❤😢😢😢
Exactly what Nigeria needed
U have said my mind
A man of integrity ❤
28:26 He speaks with authority and confidence 😮😮😮❤❤❤
I salute you.
31:32;31:40 anytime and every time the neo-colonial system praises an Afrikan country or leader just know that country or leader has betrayed their people and exploiting and impoverishing them.
Rawlings did just that..he agreed to the SAP programmme and he sold out Ghanian Industry to the british and americans...I would say 90% of Ghanas GDP is in England.
Between 1983 and the late 1990s, Ghana privatized:
factories
utilities
transport companies
agricultural processing plants
banks
hotels
mining assets
Most were sold at:
below-market prices
to foreign buyers
under IMF pressure
Ghana lost:
future profits
strategic control
national revenue streams
This alone represents billions in long-term value loss
Central Asia just as bad. How's Balochistan?
@bobbyallen4555 You know nothing about Ghana then
@newstaffchannel12 And you've not provided any information. You've contributed nothing to the conversation.
Even if the devil is on the sit
He will have no choice than to do the right thing
Established norms
We need such a warrior Soul in Nigeria, to help us remove all these Old gangsters called leaders.🤔🙆
Watching this as a Nigerian, same thought
Nigeria is NOT GHANA.
Some ppl killed old politicians in '66 WITHOUT TRIAL.
They killed other ethnics.... ONLY.
We had more than one that are like and even more
Jerry Rawlings, please resurrect and come back as a nigerian. We need you to help us execute our corrupt politicians that have plundered the country with impunity.
You wouldn't be typing this statement If his regime had murdured all your Family Members.
@Young-io5ytSharap your wide mouth. Your family may have been very corrupt. No smoke without fire. I don't have any business with you and your family.
My Family were not present but we read and heard all He did in Ghana.Even his main buddy Ahwoi had warn him several times about his brutal killings and had wanted to leave the government. Rawlings had to beg and plead.
@Young-io5ytoh please give a break
@Young-io5ytlies
Fearless....
32:25 wow
As a Ghanaian Diaspora I really appreciate you making this video about one of my countries greatest leaders thank you ❤
He is a great man! An honor to all Africans and black people worldwide. He turned Ghana for the best
We should repeat his words again and again....
Mr Rawlings we miss you
Rest in peace
Look at how Nana addo watch his people loot Ghanaians tax payer money even after what JJ Rawlings did still corruption is in the system, those days might be terrible
So imagine he didn't do anything in those days
He himself was corrupt how do you think he got his wealth check the wealth he got after his tenure 2000
You guys behave as if he did something for us acheampong built kpong hydro and dansoman flat tell me what Rawlings built we even lost the top spot of cocoa production
You know all the person arrested for corruption are NDC his own party right?
Some of the achievements of Rawlings that I remember vividly as a child growing up in those days were his agricultural production and development initiatives. He made sure Ghana was able to feed her people. There was the agricultural development bank that supported farmers. He also initiated the rural electrification project where electricity was extended to almost every part of Ghana . Ghanaians were generally disciplined in the Rawlings era. That man is definitely a Hero in my books.
He did well, could have been better but Ghana was definitely a failed state before he came in. About 11 coups in 13 years from 1966 to 1979. He was not perfect, but he left us what we have now as a country.
I couldn't agreed anymore sir
Do you now understand why Rawlings was highly hated..😅😅 Legend be that.. he no dey take nonsense 😂😂😂
We need that system back, the current politicians get away with a lot of corruption and it is killing the country
@daybreak25this is facts😂😂
If you know the truth, you know. What a whale of BS
32:16 wow! Who was this man really?🥺
He was a practical man
AsweruGad rawlings be Gh Rambo😂😂😂 Abusigi😂😂😂
Nigeria needs a Jerry Rawlings right now.
I’m telling u bro.
Rawlings coming into the scene was God’s hand at work
Yes he sold Ghanas GDP and industry to the British for pennies on the dolllar.
Ghana needed Rawlings and God sent him at the right time. The killings of the generals and the greedy political figures were necessary not only to restore calmness but also to put fear into anyone who dared to destabilize the country with a coup d’état. The economy was destined to ruins due to the mismanagement in the Limans era but admirably he turned the situation around and eventually returned the country to democratic rule. We as Ghanaians must appreciate the contribution of Rawlings not only to our development but our democracy as well.
Who told you all these LIES!
You are too funny.
If you knew the reason behind the 1979 military coup, you would know that the return of Rawlings in another military coup in 1981 was one of the most useless coups ever staged.
You create an economic mess in 1979 when the country was already preparing to return to civilian rule by staging a coup and ordering the indiscriminate sale of goods at astronomically cheaper prices thereby causing serious shortage of essential commodities and eventual inflation.
You then ride back on this challenge which you have caused in 1979 to overthrow Dr. Limann which of cause was criminal per the same principles he used to kill the other military personnel who staged coups in the past.
After overthrowing Dr. Limann, Ghana went into a very serious economic crises which forced him to go for an IMF programme yet for him he wanted Ghanaians to have patience for him as he tried to solve the economic challenge but he didn't have the patience for Dr. Limann. Is this fair?
To make matters worse, he killed military officers in 1979 for staging coups and overthrowing democratically elected governments in the past, yet he was not ready to face the same punishment for overthrowing Dr. Limann's government which was also a democratically elected government. Consequently, he inserted amnesty clauses in the 1992 constitution to cowardly run away from accountability.
What is even ANNOYING is that, after Ghanaians had forgiven him for that evil act of exonerating himself from the same "sins" he had killed others for, he kept on holding the sins of other coup makers against them and was constantly giving reasons why those military officers deserved to die for overthrowing a constitutionally elected government. He deliberately forgot that he had also committed the same "sin" but had run away from accountability.
I have no problem forgiving Rawlings for his mistakes because I also make mistakes but please don't ANNOY some of us by presenting him as some angel and saviour when some of us are well versed with the TRUTH of what really happened under Rawlings.
Rawlings was never our saviour but our biggest headache because he wasted 19 years of Ghana's development life. He is the only leader who had the longest uninterrupted rule in Ghana yet had the smallest GDP growth under his administration.
What is even more painful is that, many of the Asian countries which were no where near us in terms of GDP growth and per capita around 1980, all overtook us by the year 2000. They used 20 years to turn things around while Rawlings spent 19 years going round in circles around that same period when the world economy was quite stable with a lot of opportunities for growth.
Massa! Rawlings really wasted our time as a nation so please hold it there with your baseless hero worship.
@emikincMassa you go explain Taya. I don’t have time to read this long essay you have written. But I suspect it is full of garbage. Some of you people don’t understand certain aspects of this life that we’re living. What I know is that for you anti Rawlings and Elantra Nkrumah folks nothing can convince you people that some of the uncomfortable decisions in those days were made for our greater good.
@emikincyour economic hardship was not caused by Rawlings, but if you are not friends or puppet to western colonial powers, they will destroy your economy with sanctions. They will block you from international trades. They did it during Abacha Regime in Nigeria and painted him as a criminal in the media after they k!lled him
Where’s he now, he’s also dead isn’t it? He was a very poor military man how did he got money to Nsawam cannery? He was also a thief.
@giftfolique464 Wow, you're defending Sani Abacha the dictator? As an African, I'm honestly not sure how local dictatorship and tyranny is any better than foreign influence. It's two sides of the same coin.
Has Hollywood made a movie out of this?
You're doing a great job in preserving Africas history, more grace.
africa...one man, one vote, one time
What people don't understand is that God placed Rawlings in charge of a nation that had weak and selfish men who wanted to steal and destroy Nkrumah's legacy.
As for the blood shed, no matter how painful, is a necessary sacrifice that will birth a new beginning in every CHANGE.
You can hate him or love him, but his sacrifice gave us stability and a constitution that gives everyone a fighting chance to contribute their quota to mother Ghana.
Fellow Ghanaians 🇬🇭
32:27 ;32:59 solid gold
MY AWESOME FLT JERRY JOHN RAWLINGS ❤❤❤❤ REAL COMMANDER IN CHIEF ❤❤
Are you sure it was major seidu Mahama who led the arest of Flt jj Rawlings? At 8: 20 I think its sulemana not seidu kindly recheck
thank you
General acheompong should have been spared 😢
He realy needed but he was not the major and the whole revolutionary council took the decision, a good decision
We miss you PaPa J
Rest in peace
All shall pass.
Great son of the continent. Rest in peace,Sir.
Jerry Rawlings is a hero.
He is my HERO…… I love him sooo much❤❤❤
He killed affrifa, akufo and acheampong. Affrifa was my Nieghbour he had a family like Rawlings had. Some were ousted almost 5 years from power. Hero brought them back and kill them via firing squad.
we Africans LOVE him too
I help build a helicopter tarmac by Burnham house when he was coming to Guyana in the 80th
37:05. Never mention the devil while Talking up your manifesto. Ok.
He really did a lot for Ghana
The kind of leadership we needed then and even now. Those who hate this man are the remnants of the corrupt elements who got killed. At least now some of us understand the method to his madness, especially seeing how these modern politicians are stealing the state funds and properties.
Ghana must go
Only in Nigeria that when the military takes over the power instead of them fixing the country to work for the citizens, rather they will turn out to become a bigger thieves themselves
You should be ashamed of yourself
25:40 Allaaah Last K!ller😂😂😂
This guy was a human leader indeed! His people were his interest.
Beware of crowds, they seldom think and act justly or wisely.
Lets all answer this question....Which political party has people arrested for corruption in Ghana? Which party has enjoyed nolle prosequi for corruption cases after the court held a prima facie case against them? Which political party sold Nkrumah factory through the divestiture law in 1993, about 200 factories? .....yet they try to paint someone corruption. Can you tell me
He did that to consolidate power nothing more.
Tout cette agitation au Ghana etaient orchestrée par la CIA américaine. Rawling etait agent de la CIA.
Nigeria needs its own Rawlings
Well, he's dead too. He's now before his maker to account.