Former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings dies at 76
By Praisebell Rosemond Larbi
Ghana is mourning the death of former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, who passed away at the Ridge Hospital in Accra.
The Office of the President confirmed her death in an official statement signed by Felix Kwakye Ofosu, spokesperson to the President. She was 76 years old.
Nana Konadu, wife of the late former President Jerry John Rawlings, was Ghana’s longest-serving First Lady, having served across both military and civilian administrations.
She first held the position from June 4 to September 24, 1979, under the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), and again from December 31, 1981, to January 6, 1993, during the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) era. She continued as First Lady during her husband’s two constitutional terms under the Fourth Republic from January 7, 1993, to January 6, 2001.
Beyond her official duties, Nana Konadu was a trailblazer for women’s empowerment and political activism. She founded the 31st December Women’s Movement, which became a major force for women’s rights, social welfare and entrepreneurship.
Her work transformed community development and provided opportunities for thousands of women in rural Ghana to gain access to credit, education and leadership roles.
In 2012, Nana Konadu made history by breaking away from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to form the National Democratic Party (NDP), becoming one of the few women in Africa to lead a political party.
Although her 2012 presidential bid was disqualified by the Electoral Commission, she successfully contested again in 2016 as the NDP’s presidential candidate, making her the first woman to contest Ghana’s presidency.
In November 2018, she launched her autobiography titled ‘It Takes a Woman’, a 331-page book chronicling her journey from her youth in 1948 through her years in politics and advocacy. The book, intended as the first of four volumes, offered deep insights into her political activism and life experiences.
Mrs Agyeman Rawlings leaves behind a legacy of courage, resilience and leadership. Her decades-long contribution reshaped the role of women in Ghana’s politics and public life.
