Eleventh International Conference on Religion & Spirituality in Society

Abstract

Jerry John Rawlings came to the national limelight when he attempted a coup in May of 1979. On the 4th of June, 1979, he was released from prison by some junior officers and became the Head of State after a successful coup d’état, by the junior ranks of the Ghana Armed Forces. After a short stint in what he called house cleaning, Rawlings handed over power to the People’s National Party led by Dr. Hilla Liman. On the 31st of December 1981, Rawlings staged another coup to overthrow the government of Dr. Hilla Liman. This coup led to the establishment of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC). Rawlings went on to rule for 11 years as a military dictator and later 8 years as a civilian democratic leader. This study considers the religious situation of the country during the period of 1981-2001. The review looks at the space Rawlings gave to the various religions to operate and also how he ensured that the three main religions of Ghana, traditional practice, Christianity, and Islam all co-existed and found space in national affairs.