In a somber announcement that has cast a pall over the nation, the Presidency has officially confirmed the death of Ghana’s former First Lady, Her Excellency Mrs. Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, the founder of the National Democratic Party (NDP). The trailblazing political figure and widow of the late President Jerry John Rawlings passed away this morning at Ridge Hospital in Accra after a brief illness, at the age of 76.
Mrs. Rawlings, born on November 17, 1948, in Cape Coast, was more than just the spouse of Ghana’s longest-serving leader; she was a formidable force in her own right. As First Lady from 1979 to 1981 and again from 1981 to 2001, she championed women’s empowerment and children’s rights with unyielding passion. Through the 31st December Women’s Movement, which she founded, Nana Konadu spearheaded initiatives that led to Ghana becoming the first African nation to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1991. Her advocacy also paved the way for the Intestate Succession Law, ensuring widows and orphans received fair inheritance rights in a society where such protections were scarce.
A graduate of Achimota School and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), where she studied Art and Textiles, Mrs. Rawlings married Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings in 1977. Their union produced four children: Zanetor Rawlings, the Member of Parliament for Klottey Korle; Yaa Asantewaa Rawlings; Amina Rawlings; and Kimathi Rawlings. Following her husband’s death in 2020, she continued to shape Ghana’s political landscape, breaking barriers as the first woman to run for president in 2016 under the NDP banner.
The Presidency, in a heartfelt statement, extended “sincerest condolences to her immediate family, loved ones, and associates during this profoundly difficult time.” Tributes have begun pouring in from across the political spectrum and beyond. Ghanaians on social media are sharing memories of her fiery oratory, her commitment to social justice, and her role as a maternal figure to the nation. “She was the iron lady behind the revolution—a warrior for the voiceless,” one user lamented.
As details of funeral arrangements emerge, the country pauses to honor a woman whose legacy of resilience and reform will echo through generations. Rest in power, Mama Konadu. Ghana is lesser without you.
