My surname is John not Rawlings - Former President Rawlings clarifies

Former President Jerry John Rawlings, popularly known as J.J Rawlings, J.J, has revealed his surname is not Rawlings.

Despite being Ghana’s longest ever serving head of state, Ghanaians do not even know his real name.

He has revealed that his actual last name is John, but the military changed it when he enlisted all those decades ago.

Born Jerry Rawlings John, the military for some reasons switched his two last names and Rawlings, who did not want any trouble, simply kept it that way.

“I was born Jerry Rawlings John. I was named after my father, James Ramsey John, a chemist from Castle Douglas in Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland,” the former leader told Asaase radio.

“However, when I applied to join the Armed Forces they replied to me, then they switched the position of ‘John’ and ‘Rawlings.” he revealed.

This ‘mistake’ has given us the most iconic last name in Ghanaian politics. Imagine Zanetor was called Zanetor John. Or Nana Konadu Agyemang John.