Ghana’s former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings has passed on at the age of 76.
She was the widow of Ghana’s longest-serving leader, Jerry John Rawlings, who died five years ago. According to her children, Nana Konadu was taken to the Ridge Hospital in Accra in the early hours of thursday after a sudden ailment but unfortunately died later that day.
The former First Lady was very instrumental in pushing for women’s rights during her husband’s tenure as President for twenty (20) years with the formation of the 31st December Women’s Movement. The 31st December Women’s Movement now Developing Women’s Movement was established in 1981 to champion gender equality, advocate for the rights of women and girls, and dismantle societal barriers that limited female potential. Over four decades, it has mobilised women nationwide in areas ranging from economic empowerment to political participation.
She was pivotal in the promotion of girl child education in Ghana and very vocal on the rights of the Ghanaian woman
The widow of the late President of Ghana, Jerry John Rawlings also harbored political ambitions – but lost out in her bid to become the NDC’s presidential candidate in 2012.
Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings was born in Cape Coast, Central Region of Ghana, on 17 November 1948, to J. O. T. Agyeman and his wife. She attended Ghana International School. Later, she moved to Achimota School where she met future husband, Jerry John Rawlings. She went on to study Art and textiles at the University of Science and Technology. She was a student leader of her hall of residence, Africa Hall. In 1975, she earned an interior design diploma from the London College of Arts.
She was a Ghanaian politician and First Lady of Ghana from 4 June 1979 to 24 September 1979 and from 31 December 1981 to 7 January 2001 when her husband Jerry John Rawlings was President. In 2016, she became the first woman to run for President of Ghana.
Agyeman-Rawlings was the president of the 31st December Women’s Movement in 1982. She was elected First Vice Chairperson of the NDC in 2009 and later in 2011, she unsuccessfully challenged President John Atta Mills for the party’s presidential candidate position for election 2012. Wikipedia
Source: Forshes News
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