Known for her activism in protest against the military uprising of Flight-Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings, Juliet Hilda Salifu, also known as Madam Bolco, has given an unusual reflective account of how the late Former President got her to join the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
According to Madam Bolco, herself and another person who she simply referred to as Afoko led series of anti-Rawlings campaigns in protest of Mr. Rawlings’ attempt to take over the country through a military coup d’etat.
She said though Mr. Rawlings “fiercely fought” her and others over their activism to stop him from his militant move to rule the country, the Former President whose rulership has been described by some people as initially chaotic, then authoritarian and latterly democratic, eventually engaged her to join his newly formed NDC.
Madam Bolco made these revelations in an interview on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East program on Wednesday.
The NDC stalwart narrated incidents surrounding her 12 years of seeking refuge outside Ghana; which she termed as self imposed exile.
“I came back and in 1992, he {Mr. Rawlings} wanted to form the NDC and he said he wanted me even to lead. Eventually, when we formed the party, he was always campaigning for me.”
Despite “fighting” each other the years before, Madam Bolco noted that it did not take long for her to reconcile with Mr. Rawlings to the extent that she was dining with him {Mr. Rawlings} and his wife, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings.
“He was treating me nicely. It’s funny; he liked me so much I couldn’t understand. We were good friends. Rawlings had special liking for me.” She reminisced.
Among other things, Madam Bolco who became the 1st to occupy the position of National First Vice Chairperson of the NDC underscored the significant role she played in supporting the development of the NDC as a political party; particularly in the Upper East Region.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1MHZ|Ghana
