Ghana’s former First Lady, Nana Agyeman-Rawlings, dies at 76
Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, Ghana’s former First Lady and prominent women’s rights advocate, has died at the age of 76.
She was the widow of Jerry John Rawlings, Ghana’s longest-serving leader, who died five years ago after leading two coups and later serving twice as an elected president.
Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Presidential spokesperson, confirmed that Agyeman-Rawlings died on Thursday morning after a short illness.
Tributes have since poured in on social media for the former first lady and politician.
Her family visited President John Mahama later in the day to officially inform him of her passing. Mahama, who leads the National Democratic Congress party, founded by Jerry Rawlings, paused to honour the memory of the late Agyeman-Rawlings during the swearing-in of new High Court Justices on Thursday.
As first lady, Agyeman-Rawlings founded the 31st December Women’s Movement to empower women economically and promote community development. Her advocacy helped shape Ghana’s 1989 inheritance law and contributed to gender equality provisions in the 1992 constitution.
Born in November 1948 in Cape Coast, Agyeman-Rawlings came from a middle-class background and attended the prestigious Achimota School in Accra, where she met her future husband. She studied art and textiles at university and married Jerry Rawlings in 1977.
By the time Rawlings seized power in 1979 at age 32, Nana Konadu had become one of his most trusted advisers.
Together, they formed one of Ghana’s most dynamic and controversial political partnerships.
The couple had four children, including their eldest, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, who now serves as an NDC member of parliament.
Through her advocacy, Agyeman-Rawlings helped shape national policy on women’s rights.
She was instrumental in the 1989 law that guaranteed inheritance rights for women and children and contributed to the gender equality provisions in Ghana’s 1992 constitution, which ushered in the era of multiparty democracy.
Ghana’s parliament has adjourned in her honour as the nation prepares to officially mourn one of its most influential female figures.
