THE EXPECTATIONS of many Anlos including that of Awoamefia Togbe Sri III and other loyal supporters of former President Jerry John Rawlings were dashed when he did not turn up for the much-anticipated Hogbetsotso Festival last weekend.
The founder of the NDC and a native of Anlo was expected to take part in the event and as the hours ticked by people at the durbar grounds were seen asking each other �when will the old man come�what time will JJ come?�
At a point many of them were seen turning to the entrance anytime the sound of a siren was heard hoping to see if the former President had finally arrived.
Others were seen contemplating how just charged the atmosphere would have been if the ex-president had come especially since President Mills and other leading members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) whom Rawlings had reprimanded in the past were also present.
They included NDC General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia and former diplomats, Alfred Agbesi Woyome and Victor Gbeho among others.
For the many journalists and reporters who had gathered to cover the festival, the rumours that Mr. Rawlings would be coming to the durbar was noteworthy and many of them started trailing organisers and other contacts close to him to ascertain whether the rumour was true.
Sources close to him confirmed that he was expected to attend the durbar but would first attend a funeral at Aflao. They said they did not know why he unable to make it to the festival.
Some people including political analysts believe the abrupt closure of the event ahead of schedule might have made it impossible for Mr Rawlings to participate.
The festival ended earlier than expected since the crowd that thronged the durbar grounds was so large that it was difficult for security personnel to control them.
At a point they took over the entire arena breaching all security barriers and making it practically impossible to continue with the programme.
Another theory is that the former President was probably waiting for President Mills to either finish his address or leave the grounds before coming.
Meanwhile attempts to contact the former President�s aide, Kofi Adams were unsuccessful as several calls to his phone were not returned.
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