The son of the late former President of Ghana, Jerry John Rawlings - Kimathi Rawlings, has underscored the need for African unity, following the naming of a street in Burkina Faso in honour of his father.
His call for collaboration among African nations comes after the unveiling of a statue to commemorate former Burkinabe Head of State, Captain Thomas Sankara, and the dedication of a street to JJ Rawlings.
Speaking in a video report shared by JoyNews on X on May 19, 2025, Kimathi Rawlings expressed optimism about the continent's future.
He applauded the Thomas Sankara Foundation for sustaining the legacy of the former president and his vision, and stressed that the elevation of the African continent hinges on unity.
“My father Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings was certainly a huge support of the foundation and he was a very close friend of Thomas Sankara. So, it means a lot to be here and it means a lot for the whole of Africa to be here to support this momentous occasion.
“United, we will rise and divided we will fall. That is the way I look at it. I think now more than ever, we have the opportunity to come together as a continent. Many have come before who have tried to accomplish this but I think the atmosphere is perfect for that kind of unity,” he said.
“Now more than ever, we have the opportunity to come together as a continent. I feel the atmosphere is perfect for that kind of unity,” said Kimathi Rawlings, son of former President J.J. Rawlings.
— JoyNews (@JoyNewsOnTV) May 19, 2025
His remarks followed the unveiling of a statue in honour of former Burkinabè Head… pic.twitter.com/npCek8H213
The Thomas Sankara Foundation led the opening of a memorial park and the unveiling of a statue dedicated to the legacy of the former leader of Burkina Faso, on May 18, 2025.
Thomas Sankara, a former military officer and Pan-Africanist, became the president of Burkina Faso from 1983 after taking power in a coup.
He served until his assassination in 1987, at the age of 37, along with twelve of his colleagues.
Ghana’s Minister of Defence, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, led the Ghanaian delegation.
He was joined by the Minister of the Interior, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, and other senior officials who represented President John Dramani Mahama at the event.
Other members of the delegation included the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications and Presidential Spokesperson, Felix Kwakye Ofosu; Ghana’s Special Envoy to the Alliance of Sahel States, Lt Col Gbevlo Lartey (rtd); and Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, Member of Parliament for Klottey Korle and Chair of Parliament’s Security and Intelligence Committee.
Two former National Security leaders under President Rawlings: Naval Captain Asaase Gyima (rtd) and Kofi Totobi Quakyi, were also part of the delegation.
The newly inaugurated memorial park and statue were built to honour Captain Sankara and his comrades who were killed on October 15, 1987.
During the ceremony, the people of Burkina Faso described the fallen leaders as heroes who may have died but will always live on in their hearts.
According to the government of Burkina Faso, the Thomas Sankara Memorial is intended to serve as a place for reflection on the nation’s history and revolutionary struggle.
In a related development, Ghana’s former president, Jerry John Rawlings, was also honoured during the event.
Dr Omane Boamah announced that a street in Ouagadougou will be named after Rawlings in the coming days to celebrate his contributions to the Pan-African movement and his close ties to Thomas Sankara.
VPO/AE
