Ghana is in mourning following the passing of its former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, who died on Thursday morning after a brief illness. She was 76 years old.
Newsonspot reports that her death was confirmed by Felix Kwakye Ofosu, presidential spokesperson, who described her as “a woman whose legacy will continue to inspire generations.”
Nana Konadu was the wife of the late Jerry John Rawlings, Ghana’s longest-serving leader, who ruled for 19 years through both military and democratic eras before his passing in 2020. This made her the country’s longest-serving First Lady, a position from which she championed women’s rights and social development.
During her tenure, she founded the 31st December Women’s Movement, a non-governmental organisation focused on empowering women, promoting self-reliance, and encouraging community development across Ghana.
A trailblazer in advocacy, she was instrumental in driving legal reforms that improved inheritance rights for widows and children. Her efforts also helped Ghana become the first nation in the world to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 1990.
Earlier on Thursday, her family paid a condolence visit to President John Mahama, leader of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) – the political party founded by her late husband.
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Tributes have poured in nationwide, celebrating her as a pillar of strength, a political icon, and a voice for women’s empowerment. Ghana’s Parliament has adjourned its sitting in her honour as the nation prepares to officially mourn one of its most influential figures.
