Ghanaians from all walks of life will converge on the Independence Square today to bid their final farewell to former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings.
The Chief Mourner will be President John Dramani Mahama, who will lead the government and represent all Ghanaians in mourning the former First Lady, whom he describes as the “Matriarch of the Fourth Republic.”
Also expected to be at the state burial are traditional leaders, members of the diplomatic corps and representatives of the international communities whose activities were impacted by the works and advocacy of Mrs Agyeman-Rawlings.
The funeral ceremony has been scheduled to start at 6 a.m. with the arrival of the cortege.
During the burial service, tributes will be read on behalf of the family, the Asantehene, who is also the Chief Mourner, the children, the President, followed by the presentation of wreaths and a homily.
After the service, the burial will be held privately.
Requiem Mass
Last Wednesday, as part of the programme of activities for the funeral, a Requiem Mass was held at the Accra Ridge Church in her memory.
The Mass, which attracted members of the family, close friends and associates of the family, also had in attendance, former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Profile
Mrs Agyeman-Rawlings, 76, who served in the First Lady role for 18 years, passed away on October 23 after a brief illness.
She served in the role during her husband, Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings’s first tenure as Head of State in 1979, and again from 1981 to 2001, spanning both military and democratic administrations.
She used the role to serve and advance the cause of women and the vulnerable in the country, a remarkable feat that has left an indelible mark on the country's history.
In 1982, she established the 31st December Women’s Movement, leading the charge for women’s empowerment, both politically and economically.
She played a key role in the drafting and implementation of the 1995 UN Women’s Conference in Beijing that set strategic objectives and actions for the advancement of women and the achievement of gender equality in 12 critical areas of concern
Before she passed away, Mrs Agyeman-Rawlings had scheduled a number of activities to mark the 30th anniversary of that conference.
Also in 2012, Mrs Agyeman-Rawlings founded the National Democratic Party (NDP) after parting ways with the National Democratic Congress.
She would again make history in 2016 as the first woman to vie for the Presidency when she led the NDP as its Presidential Candidate during the general election.
