President John Mahama has revealed that former President Jerry John Rawlings repeatedly rejected attempts to have major national institutions and monuments named in his honour, including the University for Development Studies (UDS) and an offshore oil production vessel.

According to President Mahama, the late founder of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was deeply uncomfortable with efforts to immortalise his name and preferred to be remembered through his impact on people's lives rather than through monuments and public structures.

Speaking at the ceremony to rename the NDC's national headquarters as the JJ Rawlings House and unveil a bust of the late former President in Accra, President Mahama said Rawlings would likely have opposed the event had he been alive.

"Rawlings himself, if he were alive, would have been very uncomfortable with this ceremony we are holding, by which we seek to immortalise his name," he said.

The President disclosed that Rawlings consistently turned down requests to have major national projects named after him.

"As the Chairman said, he resisted all attempts to name significant monuments after him," Mr Mahama noted.

He revealed that Rawlings declined an offer to have the University for Development Studies named after him, despite donating his World Food Prize Award to serve as seed funding for the establishment of the institution.

"He politely declined to have the University for Development Studies named after him, even though he had given up his World Food Prize Award as seed funding to start that university," the President said.

Mr Mahama also recounted a personal experience during his previous administration when he sought Rawlings' approval to name the Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel for the ENI Sankofa oil field after him.

"He replied to my letter during my previous presidency when I wrote to seek his permission to name the FPSO for the ENI Sankofa field after him," he said.

According to the President, Rawlings' response reflected his humility and philosophy of service.

"And he said, 'Pass it on to President Kufuor. I prefer to have my name inscribed in the minds and hearts of men than on statues and monuments.'"

President Mahama described Rawlings as "a man who was neither vain nor ostentatious".

"Fortunately for us today, he is in no position to object to what we are doing here to immortalise his name," he added.

The President said the decision to rename the party's headquarters after Rawlings was intended to preserve the history and values of the NDC for future generations.

He described the headquarters as the centre of the party's activities and decision-making.

"It is the place where ideas are debated, policies are formulated, manifestos are written, strategies are developed and decisions are taken in pursuit of our mission to serve the people of Ghana," he said.

Mr Mahama noted that generations of party members had gathered at the headquarters during both victories and difficult periods in the party's history.

"By naming this headquarters after J.J. Rawlings, we are embedding our history in the very fabric of this institution and ensuring that future generations will never lose sight of the values and sacrifices that have brought us this far."

He said the unveiling of the bust was not simply to honour Rawlings as an individual but to preserve the ideals he represented.

"We celebrate not only Jerry Rawlings' life but also the values he embodied. We celebrate his courage and leadership. We celebrate his conviction in times of uncertainty, his commitment to national service and his enduring belief that public office should be used to improve the lives of ordinary citizens."

The President also urged Ghanaians to uphold the values Rawlings championed throughout his life, particularly probity, accountability and selfless service.

NDC National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketia acknowledged that Rawlings had fiercely resisted attempts to name monuments after him during his lifetime.

"In not allowing himself to be named after a monument, there were several attempts to do that which he resisted fiercely," he said.

"He always said that he wanted his legacy to remain in the minds and hearts of Ghanaians."

However, Mr Asiedu Nketia said the passage of time made it necessary to create visible symbols that future generations could use to connect with Rawlings' legacy.

"When he was alive, we thought that was okay because the people who knew him had the means of connecting with him in their hearts. But today he is no more, and generations are changing."

He said the party concluded that preserving Rawlings' legacy required more permanent forms of recognition.

"If we allow his memory to remain only in the hearts and minds of people, it will also die when those hearts and minds that knew him pass on."

According to him, the decision to rename the headquarters followed extensive consultations and research.

"We came to the conclusion that it is well and fitting to name the building after the founder of our party."

He also addressed concerns that the building was constructed during the tenure of former President John Evans Atta Mills.

"Many of us agreed that even if Professor Mills were alive, he would prefer the building being named after President Jerry John Rawlings," he said.

The son of the late former President, Kimathi Rawlings, described the ceremony as more than a symbolic event, saying it represented a renewed commitment to the principles for which his father stood.

"Today has been much more than a ceremonial occasion. It has been a moment of reflection, remembrance and recommitment," he said.

"By naming this headquarters after Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings, the NDC has permanently inscribed his name into the very home of the ideals, sacrifices and aspirations to which he devoted his life."

According to him, the recognition was not merely about honouring a man but preserving the values that shaped both the party and the nation.

"It is a solemn affirmation that conviction, sacrifice and service in the pursuit of justice, accountability and national progress will never be forgotten."