The Power of Forgiveness and the Wisdom in Saying Sorry Of a Rawlings and Those Others

It was in the early afternoon of November 12, 2020 and I was taking a short rest in between my work on my laptop, when my phone rang. It was 12:35 pm and the caller was a good friend BugliYahaya from far away Tamale. He asked whether I could confirm that Rawlings was gone. I said I had to check and would call him back, we spoke for over three minutes and I hanged up to check.

Most of the messages coming in on my WhatsApp page confirmed that Flt. Lt Jerry John Rawlings had passed on, at age 73. I double checked to be sure it was not social media fake news and got on some news portals. They confirmed. Then a party member called and asked if I had heard and I said I was just getting the news. She placed her phone close to her television and I heard a news reporter saying Rawlings was gone. At 12:43 pm, I was back with Bugli and confirmed the news.

Back on social media, whiles most people posted messages of grief and condolences, wishing his soul rest with the Lord, his Maker, others posted strong messages of dislike for him and I am afraid from where they were coming from they were all justified. Rawlings had killed their fathers, uncles, relatives. Rawlings had collapsed their businesses and those of their parents. Rawlings had their mothers, sisters and some female associates raped.

Yes, they had every justification to wish Rawlings’ soul to see damnation. And one message run through, Rawlings never said sorry all these forty-one years he gate-crashed into our lives. One of the surviving children of the generals he killed said if only Rawlings had said sorry, it would have soothed that pain which seems to grow every day and now that he is gone, the opportunity was lost and lost forever.

I do agree and I must confess that I felt so frustrated and disappointed when in his last major interview with the press, and it was Asaase FM, Rawlings clearly implied that he had Afrifa killed because he was provocative and also an unnamed general wanted the former head of state dead. And the others he killed were innocent sacrificial lambs to protected the over eighty corrupt ones who should have died instead. So in effect, Afrifa, Acheampong, Felli and the others were not corrupt but were killed so that the corrupt ones could live. And here I thought Rawlings should have said “I am sorry for these acts. I take the blame and responsibility. I am heartedly sorry,” and this nation would have been healed.

Now that he is gone and gone with those wonderful words, “I Am Sorry,” it is now for those who suffered especially inhumanly under Rawlings to tap on perhaps the most powerful opportunity to get healing not only from the pains, but healings for their souls so that they can have that wonderful once in a life time opportunity to hear the words of the Lord say to them, “Come, into my Father’s Kingdom.”

That opportunity is the virtue of forgiveness. To all those concern, I say to you, forgive Rawlings, even if by doing so it hurts and hurts so badly. Forgive and even if you must cry forgiving him, cry and forgive him. When it is most difficult to forgive and you forgive, you have abundance of graces and blessings and you win God’s love.

Surely, you are very justified in disliking him for the wrongs he had done. But one thing I read from encounters of hell by holy seers is that hell is not the place you wish even your worse enemy. Forgive and please do it willingly and whole heartedly without anyone compelling you to. Just forgive him, please do forgive him.

Look at all that Jesus went through in the hands of men, yet He forgave them all and prayed to His Father to do same (St Luke 23:34). Jesus would have been justified to show anger and by His word, all those persecuting Him would have been wiped out from the surface of the earth and thrown into hell fire. But He forgave and He told us the benefits of forgiving, because in the Lord’s prayer He instructed us to pray and ask God to “Forgive Us Our Sins, As We Forgive Those, Who Sin Against Us” (St. Luke 11:4) and He told us in no uncertain terms in St Matthew 5: 14-15, that we should expect God to forgive us, only if we have truly and duly forgiven those who sinned against us.

Perhaps, the greatest opportunity for you to survive that long, rough and very dangerous narrow path on your Hour of Death unscathed, and be welcomed in Jesus’ arms at the Throne of Judgment is to just forgive all who wronged you.

Unforgiveness they say is like taking in poison and wishing the other person to die. And that is what happens to your soul when you do not forgive.

For all you know, Rawlings had made peace with God before he died and he is at the moment being shown round Heaven, by Afrifa, Acheampong, Akuffo, Felli, Kotei, Amedume, Utuka, Yaw Boakye, Odartey Wellington, Cecilia KorantengAddo, AgyeiAgyepong, PokuSarkodie, Sam Acquah among others amidst joy and laughter. And what could prevent you from joining the souls of the Elect in Heaven is your holding on to the pains Rawlings inflicted upon you and your family and associates and cursing him. Please do forgive, yes forgive and forgive Rawlings, wholeheartedly.

All said, it is my opinion that Ghana opens a new chapter by inviting all those involved in that June 4 Uprising to come and tell us the truth about that coup. Some of its architects are saying the nation need to know the truth and I do support them. That could also make those seriously and justifiably aggrieved to be led to forgive and make peace with their souls. The fact that Rawlings is gone does not matter, others are still alive. We need to know why June 4 came and at that hour when we were going to constitutionally elect our national leaders. We need to know why Rawlings came back to overthrow a constitution when he killed those who had earlier done that. We need to know because that will heal this nation and make it impossible for such an event to be repeated.

We also need to know what happened to the monies collected from people and lodged into state accounts after June 4 and December 31. Yes, we need to know since some of those who were in charge are still alive and are with us.

We need to know so that we heal this nation of its sordid past and help those who have good reasons to condemn Rawlings and his family to hell, to forgive him and forgive them. Forgiveness is a powerful means that can lead us to God in Heaven.

Meanwhile, let us remember Nana KonaduAgyeman Rawlings and her children in our prayers.

And let us pray for all those who suffered under Rawlings to receive the grace to forgive him and make peace with his family. Let us also pray for all the sick and dying. May the Good Lord God grant us all the grace to always be ready toforgive.

Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, Amen!

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect  The  Chronicle’s editorial  stance

 

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