Ghana is mourning the death of its former First Lady and trailblazing women’s rights advocate, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, who passed away at the age of 76.
Agyeman-Rawlings, widow of the country’s longest-serving leader, Jerry John Rawlings, reportedly died on Thursday morning after a brief illness.
The news of her passing was confirmed by presidential spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu.
According to the BBC, members of her family formally informed President John Mahama of her death on Thursday afternoon.
Mahama, who leads the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the party founded by the late Jerry Rawlings, paid tribute to her memory during the swearing-in of new High Court justices in Accra.
Born in November 1948 in Cape Coast, Nana Konadu was educated at the prestigious Achimota School, where she met her future husband.
She later studied art and textiles at university, while Jerry Rawlings pursued a career in the Air Force, eventually rising to the rank of Flight Lieutenant.
When Rawlings seized power in 1979 at just 32, Nana Konadu quickly became one of his closest advisers and political allies.
Together, they built one of Ghana’s most dynamic and sometimes controversial, partnerships in public life.
The couple had four children, including Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, a member of parliament representing the NDC.
A powerful voice for gender equality, Nana Konadu was instrumental in shaping several landmark reforms for women in Ghana.
She played a key role in the 1989 Intestate Succession Law, which secured inheritance rights for women and children, and championed gender equality provisions enshrined in Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, which ushered in multiparty democracy.
Her contributions extended beyond policy. As founder and president of the 31st December Women’s Movement, named after the date of her husband’s 1981 coup, she empowered thousands of women through education, entrepreneurship, and community development programmes.
In 2012, she made a historic bid for the NDC’s presidential ticket, demonstrating her independence and ambition in a male-dominated political arena.
Tributes have since poured in across Ghana. The country’s parliament adjourned in her honour, while social media has been flooded with messages celebrating her courage, intellect, and devotion to national service.
Spokesperson for the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, Richmond Rockson, described her as “an exceptional First Lady whose visionary leadership and organisational acumen left an indelible mark on Ghana’s history.”
“She stood firmly by Chairman Jerry John Rawlings during the revolution, displaying courage, loyalty, and resilience at a defining moment in our nation’s journey,” Rockson said.
“Her legacy of empowering women will remain an inspiration for generations to come.”
