June 4th revolution in Ghana

The June 4th Revolution[1] or June 4th Uprising was an uprising in Ghana in 1979 that arose out of a combination of corruption, bad governance, frustration among the general public, and lack of discipline and frustrations within the Ghanaian army.[2][3][4][5][6]

Cause

It was sparked when the then military government of the Supreme Military Council (SMC II) of Lieutentant General Fred Akuffo put then flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings on public trial for attempting to overthrow the government on May 15th 1979. This happened because Rawlings was a junior soldier in the Ghanaian Army who with other soldiers were refused to be given their salaries.

Rawlings turned the trial against the government by accusing it of massive corruption and requesting that his fellow accused be set free as he was solely responsible for the mutiny. He was incarcerated for sentencing. His diatribe resonated with the entire nation as there was massive suffering.

In the night of June 3rd 1979, junior military officers including Major Boakye Djan broke into the jail where Rawlings was being held and freed him, and ostensibly marched him to the national radio station to make an announcement. The first time the public heard from Rawlings was a now legendary statement that he Rawlings had been released by the junior officers and that he was under their command. He requested all soldiers to meet with them at the Nicholson Stadium in Burma Camp in Accra.

The entire nation went up in uproar. The soldiers rounded up senior military officers including three former heads of states, General F. K Akuffo, Ignatious Kutu Acheampong and Afrifa for trial. They were subsequently executed by firing squad.

Aftermath

Rawlings was appointed the head of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) by the revolting Junior military officers to run the country until the ongoing election was completed.

Rawlings handed over Power to Dr. Hilla Limann in September 1979. But Rawlings again overthrew Limann on 31 December 1981. Though the June 4th became a noted date in Ghana's history, it has been said to be a date that brings a lot of pain to people who either lost loved ones, lost businesses or had to flee the country.

See also

References
  1. Gocking, Roger, "The History of Ghana", Greenwood Publishing Group (2005), p. 212, ISBN 9780313318948
  2. Modern Ghana : "Credit June 4 Uprising for Ghana's political stability - Boakye Gyan" (4 June 2007), (retrieved 25 January 2018)
  3. Amamoo, Joseph G., "The Ghanaian Revolution", p. 190, iUniverse (2000), ISBN 9780595146277
  4. Ninsin, Kwame A., "Issues in Ghana's Electoral Politics", p. 40, CODESRIA (2017), ISBN 9782869786943
  5. New York Times : "Hard. Times Follow Ghana Coup" (30 July 1979) (Retrieved 25 January 2018)
  6. El País : "Los golpistas de Ghana prometen elecciones este mes" (6 June 1979) (Retrieved 25 January 2018)

Bibliography
  • Amamoo, Joseph G., "The Ghanaian Revolution", p. 190, iUniverse (2000), ISBN 9780595146277
  • Ninsin, Kwame A., "Issues in Ghana's Electoral Politics", p. 40, CODESRIA (2017), ISBN 9782869786943
  • Gocking, Roger, "The History of Ghana", Greenwood Publishing Group (2005), p. 212, ISBN 9780313318948
  • New York Times : "Hard. Times Follow Ghana Coup" (30 July 1979)
  • El País : "Los golpistas de Ghana prometen elecciones este mes" (6 June 1979)
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