Wia dis foto come from, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings/Facebook
one hour wey don pass
Wife of di late ex-president for Ghana Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings don die.
Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings wey be First Lady from June 1979 to September 1979 and from December 1981 to January 2001, die afta a short illness for Accra, di kontri capital.
Tori be say she die for di Ridge Hospital for Accra at di age of 76, according to hospital sources.
Ghana Presidency also confam di passing of di former First Lady inside one statement wia dem extend dia “deepest condolences to her immediate family”.
She get four children wit her husband di late former president Jerry Rawlings.
One of dem, be lawmaker and parliamentarian for di House of Legislature – Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings.
Recently, di late former First Lady visit di Ashanti kingdom during di burial of di Asantehemaa, Nana Konadu Yiadom III for September.
She also be part of dignitaries wey lay wreaths during di state funeral for di govment officials and soldiers wey die for di helicopter crash for August dis year.
Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings profile
Dem born di late Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings for Cape Coast for di Central Region of Ghana, even though she be direct descendant of di Ashanti royal family for Kumasi.
Her mother and father all comot long line of royal ancestry, wey she be third child of seven children.
She attend some of di kontri elite schools including Achimota wia she meet di former president di late Jerry Rawlings.
She be interior designer by profession bifor she enta politics.
She dey credited wit di formation of one vibrant women group – 31st December Women’s Movement on 15 May 1982.
Togeda wit oda like-minded women, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings set up di group to involve women for di revolution of di kontri.
Di West African magazine quote her for one interview when she explain say “na me throw mysef into my work. For my political life, passion take ova wey I wan understand di problems wey women for di rural areas dey experience for di kontri in crisis”.
She preach women empowerment wey she encourage dem to work for diasef and feed dia families.
She dey credited wit advocacy wey influence laws and policies against human right abuses like child marriage, female genital mutilation and oda cultural practices.
“We develop small businesses like cassava processing, vegetable farming, batik making and oda tins to support women for di rural areas wey we give dem seed money to encourage dem,” Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings tok West Africa Magazine for 2012.
Political career
For 2016, she become di first woman wey contest for presidential election for Ghana afta she form her own party – national Democratic Party (NDP).
Dis be afta she lose di flagbearer race to lead di party wey her husband be founder – National Democratic Congress (NDC).
She comot di NDC afta she disagree wit di party on many tins.
Later for 2020, her husband di ex-president Jerry Rawlings die.
Pipo now begin to wonder if she go contest di December 2020 elections.
Inside one statement from chairman of her party di NDP, she tok say she go contest di election despite di death of her husband.
“I wan tank Ghanaians wey dey pray and support me and my family for dis sad moment wen my husband die, but I still dey continue my presidential campaign for di NDP.”
Afta dat election wey di New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate Nana Akufo-Addo win wit 51.3% of di votes, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings get only 6,549 votes (0.050%).
Since den she take backseat for active politics wey she dey attend state events as a former First Lady until her death.
For her adult life, she carry her fashion sense well well, wey she promote Ghanaian fabric.
She get signature outfit she dey wear since her days as First Lady – wit fine headgear and African print fabric – wey many pipo now know as di Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings wear.
