President Jerry John Rawlings served as president of Ghana for roughly two decades up to 2001.

The 73-year-old died after a short illness, according to Ghanaian media.

Rawlings died Thursday at the Korle-Bu University Hospital in Accra,where he had been admitted a week earlier.

Rawlings was born in Accra in June 1947, to a Ghanaian mother and a Scottish father.

Rawlings overthrew then-ruler General Frederick Akuffo in 1979 when he was an army lieutenant.

He handed over power to civilian rule soon after but then led another coup two years later, decrying the government’s corruption and weak leadership.

From 1981 to 1993, Rawlings ruled as chairman of a joint military-civilian government. In 1992 he was elected president under a new constitution, fully assuming the role the following year.

Former president, John Mahama wrote on twitter;