A former President of Ghana, Jerry Rawlings, is being economical with the truth in his claim that he made no reference to Nigeria corruption and the Nigerian government in a speech he delivered at a conference in Abuja on June 17, PREMIUM TIMES can authoritatively report today.
A video recording of the event, where the former leader delivered the speech, has punctured his claim, with footages showing Mr. Rawlings not only repeatedly referring to Nigeria, but at a point mocking its government for hounding corruption fighters, characterizing authorities with the now famous pidgin adaptation for bosses: “Oga at the top.”
Addressing a largely Nigerian audience at a conference on “Emerging Democracies in Africa: Challenges and Opportunities”, Mr. Rawlings accused African countries, of which Nigeria is one, of paying lip service to the fight against corruption, punishing petty thieves and sparing politicians who misappropriate millions of state funds.
He said, “We cannot continue to pay lip service to the strengthening, empowerment and independent management of our multiple anti-corruption institutions. We live in countries where poor, petty thieves get imprisoned for several years while businessmen who evade taxes in millions of dollars or a politician who misappropriates millions of state funds escape punishment.”
But Mr. Rawlings did not stop there. As shown in the video below, he went on to narrate how a former attorney general in his country was widely castigated for fighting official graft, but later celebrated as a hero. As he rounded off his account, Mr. Rawlings asked his audience, which included the President of the Senate, David Mark, if Nigeria had such a hero.
“Yes indeed, you do,” Mr. Rawlings answered. Then, speaking briefly off a prepared text, he added: “You do. Some of them (Nigerian anti-corruption heroes) are being persecuted by the ogas (bosses) at the top.”
He later offered some clarification that he did not “know about this one (in apparent reference to whether President Goodluck Jonathan was also hounding anti-corruption fighters). But I know about some in the past.”
He added that Nigerians should firmly support their anti-corruption crusaders to break the cycle of graft that has gripped the land. “I’m saying you do (have lonely heroes). And they need to fly with boldness. They need your support if you have to change that cycle. People must learn to profit from right, from virtue and not from vice.”
But in his reaction to PREMIUM TIMES’ report of the event, Mr. Rawlings vigorously denied alluding directly or otherwise to Nigeria, and did not say he made additional comments not captured by his prepared speech.
A statement by the former leader’s office (which was never sent to this paper by the way) suggested that everything Mr. Rawlings said at the conference was captured by the speech he read.
But the recording shows one of the ex-leader’s most vital points, not captured by his prepared text but which this newspaper considered one of the high points of his presentation. It eventually formed the basis for the paper’s reporting of the event.
Rather than own up to a remark he made in the open, Mr. Rawlings castigated our reporting, calling it “libelous and malicious” and warning of a possible lawsuit.

watch the video here http://premiumtimesng.com/news/139481-video-evidence-counters-jerry-rawlings-denial-of-premium-times-story.html

ok

its so pathetic when men who have governed a country cannot stand by their words. Those castigating premiumtimes should come forward to defend Mr Jerry Rawling

Truth sacrificed on the altar of political correctness.

trekkie: Truth sacrificed on the altar of political correctness.

I think Rawlings has some economic investments in Nigeria actually.

eGuerrilla:

I think Rawlings has some economic investments in Nigeria actually.

so.......

The video is consistent with his denial. He was talking in general terms.
He did however hint that in Nigeria brave individuals who take a stand against corruption are persecuted by "Oga at the top" which he quickly qualified by stating that he does not know about this Oga, but knows of previous Ogas.