Ebo Whyte celebrates Jerry John Rawlings' 70th birthday in unique style

“The people thought they were manipulating me. However, I was using their manipulation to manage them,” 70-year old Jerry John Rawlings said when he was given the platform to give his birthday speech.

His Excellency, the former president of Ghana related how he was managing affairs in 1979 to women in general.

“Sometimes men think they are manipulating women. But all this while, women will use that to manage the men.”

Rawlings turns to Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawling standing to his left after that statement, says ‘baby’, and plants a kiss on the cheeks of his wife.

That was simply a lovely sight to behold. To go by the terms millennials are throwing around these days, pure relationship goal. Even for a 70-year-old.

Ebo Whyte had introduced the former president of Ghana, His Excellency Jerry John Rawlings in narration to what he saw during the notable 1979 in Ghana’s history.

He described how a waakye seller had subtly bestowed upon his thoughts the critical condition mother Ghana was in at the time when Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings intervened.

But the night wasn’t about him. And Ebo Whyte realized it so he assured the 70-year-old celebrant his ‘story will be told’ someday.

Ebo Whyte dedicated his June version of a quarterly play series, Damage Goods to the former president of Ghana, His Excellency Jerry John Rawlings as he celebrated his 70th birthday on June 22, 2017.

The playwright went through the hustle of surprising Mr. Rawlings with an A-list guest line-up including former vice president of Ghana, Papa Kwesi Amisah Arthur, legendary Ghanaian boxer Azumah Nelson, Black Stars coach Kwesi Appiah, Ghanaian movie actor Van Vicker and a host of others.

The night of music, dance and a stage play brought lovely Ghanaians together to celebrates a statesman who had played an immense role in birthing the West African country this far.

Knowing Dr. Boom as he is affectionately called, Ebo Whyte had to have some form of luck to get His Excellency to accepting his offer of celebrating his birthday ‘bigly’.

That luck came in the form of a brilliant debate candidate at Rawlings' office. The sheer joy this brilliant lady showed seeing Ebo Whyte in Rawlings’ office was enough evidence the former president could not deny the offer by the seasoned playwright to honour him on his birthday, the 70-year-old narrated.

Damaged Goods tell a story of a game some men play. It’s devastating consequences coupled with the hypocrisy of an average Christian could only excite friends and families of Jerry John Rawlings who made it to the National Theatre to share with him a lovely day.

Usually, as the case has always been for an Uncle Ebo Whyte play, the humour was not lacking, the singing was on point, stage set and lighting was near perfect with the dancing inserts one that’s always lovely to watch.

It was His Excellency Jerry John Rawlings first time of watching an Ebo Whyte show and he loved it. Of course, there was no reason not to as the former president thanked the leader of Roverman Productions for actually being the difference. He also acknowledged the cast who had been at the impeccable best showing their talent of acting, singing, and dancing.

The entire organization was one befitting a man who had worked hard in helping build the nation Ghana.

Jerry John Rawlings is 70 years old! As he stood by his lovely wife Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings to cut his birthday cake, the smile on the face of Ghana’s first president in the 4th Republic was one that screamed ‘I appreciate the love and care’.