JJ Rawlings and her daughter Zanetor
A derogatory remark directed at Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings has sparked national outrage. During a debate, an unidentified lawmaker referred to her as the “daughter of a murderer,” a comment aimed at her late father, former President Jerry John Rawlings. This incident has drawn attention not just for the insult itself but for the deeper issues it reveals about Ghana’s political landscape.
Renowned academic and former Minister of State, Professor Kwasi Yankah, has weighed in on the matter. He stresses that the controversy extends beyond merely identifying the person responsible for the comment. While Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has called for an investigation, Yankah believes that such inquiries often lead to dead ends. He likens this situation to the infamous “Who said Tweaa?” incident from 2014, where a heckler went unpunished, leaving a cloud of ambiguity over accountability.
Yankah acknowledges that the attack on Zanetor was “uncouth and unacceptable,” but he urges that revisiting Ghana’s turbulent political history could lead to more significant implications. He warns that focusing solely on the identity of the lawmaker might distract from the broader societal wounds that continue to divide the nation.
The professor points out that Zanetor was only a child during the June 4th Revolution, an event that still evokes strong emotions in Ghana. He recalls the Supreme Court’s 1994 ruling that banned the formal celebration of revolutions, as well as the National Reconciliation Commission established in 2002 to address past human rights violations. Despite these efforts, the legacy of violence, such as the June 4th Uprising, remains a sensitive topic.
Addressing Dr. Zanetor directly, Yankah expressed sympathy for her situation but also cautioned her about participating in celebrations of revolutionary events. He reminded her that many people are still affected by the past and continue to hurt from those memories.
