Why JJ Rawlings and I never talked about God - Azumah Nelson explains

Ghanaian

The close bond between the late president Jerry John Rawlings and legendary boxer Azumah Nelson is well-known, with Nelson consistently expressing his gratitude and admiration for Rawlings for the significant role he played in his life.

From the anecdotes about "gari and beans" to Rawlings guiding Nelson towards a successful career in boxing instead of pursuing his lifelong dream of

Read full articlebecoming a military officer, their relationship was truly remarkable.

However, there was one aspect of their lives that never came up in their conversations - religion.

According to Nelson, while they discussed almost every aspect of life, religion and God were never topics of discussion between them.

Nelson clarified in an interview with Dan Kwaku Yeboah that this was not because they were both opposed to religion or faith, but rather because he held Rawlings in such high regard and believed that Rawlings had superior knowledge in matters of religion and faith.

"I never talked about Christ with Rawlings because I believed he was more knowledgeable than me in that area. I didn't discuss Christianity or similar topics with him. But with my peers, I do. I advise them to have faith in God and dedicate their lives to Him. I preach against vices to them."

During the same interview, Nelson shared his thoughts on spirituality in sports, particularly in boxing, where he had made a name for himself.

Nelson belongs to the belief that spirituality is a common element in sports and shared a personal story to support his belief.

"I used to pray before my fights, and I received divine revelations. Before my first fight with Gabriel Ruelas in Mexico, I experienced a lot of pain in my dressing room."