JJ Rawlings lauds Gaddafi but says he made a mistake for his 42 years of reign

The death of Libya's former leader, Muammar Muhammad Al-Gaddafi, has some time now taken over the media and still lingers around the African continent with several people thrown into shock and others expressing their mixed feelings about the treatment meted out to the Libyan leader before he passed away.

Colonel Gaddafi's death has raised fierce criticisms and comments from people across Africa and the next person to add his voice is the former President Flt. Lt. J.J Rawlings.

Former President J.J. Rawlings has lauded the deceased leader, therefore, touting him as a man who had the Libyans’ interest wholeheartedly and brought much fortune to Libya. According to him, Muammar Gaddafi was a good and principled leader who set proper structures to streamline the livelihood of his people.

He further declared that, under the leadership of Col. Gaddafi, Libya underwent a massive transformation which outstripped its boundaries to benefit other countries including Ghana.

He was speaking at the Great Hall of the University of Ghana, Legon to climax the annual SRC week celebrations on Friday.

He said that the Libyan economy gave women the chance to be enrolled into the military and head offices within the military. Likening Col. Gaddafi to Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's first President, he underlined that the Libyans were provided with virtually free accommodation, electricity and education. He also stressed that Gaddafi's reign gave the black community much freedom and tagged him as a leader who believed in the power of the masses.

Despite his 42 years of rule, J.J Rawlings believed the Libyan Godfather committed a mistake, hence, quoting the scripture "Man should not live by bread alone" to support his premise.

"The mistake he made was that even as he talked it, preached it, provided it; he just could not let go of the empowerment of the people. He still held onto the controls", the former president indicated.

He explained that the Libyan deceased leader was disquiet about the idea that the masses' power could be undermined and held his service in high esteem to the people. President Rawlings disclosed that people's allegiance is bought as their right of choice dwindles and emphasized that people should be on guard and flash out any form of dehumanization.

He described the execution of Col. Gaddafi "more painful and inhuman" and chided the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, for her supposed look and contentment over the death of the Libyan leader.

He expressed no surprise over the execution saying "if you use force or violence and it does not have a cleansing effect, then it will end up perpetuating injustice. If you use force and it does not give justice, you will be perpetuating injustice".

Story by Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Xfm 95.1/Accra/Ghana