According to a report by Graphic Online, Major retired Kojo Boakye-Djan, a distinguished Ghanaian military officer and politician is dead.
Major Boakye-Djan was known for his involvement in the planning of the coup that brought Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings to power in Ghana on June 4, 1979, alongside other junior officers.
He passed away on Wednesday morning, August 30, 2023, at the age of 81, at the 37 Military Hospital. Major Boakye-Djan was a former member of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), which staged the June 4, 1979, military coup and ruled Ghana from June 4, 1979, to September 24, 1979.
He was the spokesperson for the group and is said to have been the key architect of the June 4, 1979 uprising. The AFRC handed over power to the 3rd Republican Constitution, which kicked in on September 24, 1979, after President Hilla Limann was elected through universal adult suffrage.
Major Boakye-Djan hailed from the Bono East Region and attended Opoku Ware School in Kumasi for his Ordinary (O) Level certificate and Achimota School for his sixth form Advanced Level certificate. He was also the best man at the wedding of Rawlings and Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings. We extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time.
The Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) governed Ghana from June 4, 1979, until September 24, 1979, following a successful coup that ousted the Supreme Military Council, another military regime. Prior to the June 4 coup, an unsuccessful attempt was made on May 15, 1979, resulting in the arrest of Flt. Lt. Jerry Rawlings and other ranks. However, their trial only served to increase their popularity, leading to their eventual release on the morning of June 4 by young officers and noncommissioned officers inspired by Rawlings.
The ensuing fighting resulted in the loss of several military personnel, including Major General Odartey-Welllington, who led the government’s resistance to the coup d’état, and Colonel Joseph Enningful, a former Commander of the Support Services of the Ghana Armed Forces.
Additionally, Second-Lieutenant J. Agyemang Bio, Corporal William Tingan, Lance Corporal Sorkpor, Trooper Samuel Larsey, Trooper Emmanuel Koranteng-Apau, Lance Corporal Gabriel Follivi, and Lance Corporal Mamudu Kalifa lost their lives and were buried with full military honors at the Osu Military Cemetery in Accra.
