On Wednesday, 22nd October 2025, H.E. Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings was among those gathered for the burial service of her aunt and namesake, Mrs. Lucy Konadu Yiadom Effah at the Christ the King Catholic Church, Accra.
Also present at that burial service were H.E. President John Agyekum Kufuor and former Chief of Staff, Mrs. Akosua Frema Osei-Opare. The three of them were in the front row together with my dear wife Jocelyn and me. After the church service, Nana Konadu mingled with family and friends, as was her usual style.
The next morning, Thursday, 23rd October 2025, I was summoned to the emergency ward of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital at Ridge, to be confronted with the death of our renowned First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings. Shock and disbelief consumed the rest of my day.
Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings (right), Oheneba Akwasi Abayie and his wife, Jocelyn.
Matrilineally, Nana Konadu had a solid and impeccable Asante regal pedigree. At birth, she was named after the 11th Asantehemaa, Nana Konadu Yiadom II, whose reign as Asantehemaa spanned the period from 1917 to 1945. The latter’s brother was the 13th Asantehene, Otumfuo Agyeman Prempeh I, who was exiled by the British from Kumasi to Seychelles Island from 1896-1924.
Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings hailed from the village of Mpobi, located in the Afigya Kwabre South District of the Ashanti Region. Her mother was Mrs. Felicia Agyeman, affectionately called “Auntie Felicia” (of blessed memory). Indeed, Aunty Felicia and her senior sister, Madam Yaa Safowaa were very close friends of my mother-in-law, Madam Ama Banahene in their youthful days.
They lived together in the “Ashtown” vicinity of Atipinhene’s enclave, near Manhyia Palace, Kumasi. Nana Konadu’s father was the famous Mr. John Osei-Tutu Agyeman (J.O.T.), who was a senior manager of the Gold Cost era British trading company, United Africa Company (U.A.C.), a subsidiary of the multinational corporation, Unilever. J.O.T. Agyeman subsequently, in 1961, became the first General Manager of the newly established state-owned Company, Ghana National Trading Corporation (G.N.T.C.).
Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings stepped into Ghana’s political, social and economic life in June 1979, more than forty years ago.
For two decades, she and her husband, Ghana’s former president, H.E. Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings remained the most formidable political couple in Ghana.
She was always the pillar behind President Rawlings. Indeed, in the Ghanaian context, the appellation “First Lady” virtually became synonymous with Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings.
One sunny morning in January 2018, I received a phone call from Nana Konadu.
“Cousin, are you at home?”, she intoned on her mobile phone. “Yes, I am”. “OK, I shall be there in ten minutes”.
It was in such manner that she arrived at our Dzorwulu residence. “I have brought you the manuscript of my memoir and I would like you to write the foreword to the book”.
“Why me?”, I asked her. “That is my decision,” she replied. It was the greatest honour she could bestow on me.
Nana Konadu’s courage, generosity, independent personality, intellect and forthrightness came across easily in her book entitled “IT TAKES A WOMAN”. As I wrote in my foreword, Nana Konadu always reminded me of the famous Asante heroine, Nana Yaa Asantewaa, the legendary Queen Mother of Ejisu, who was the first woman to confront the British in their numerous wars against the Asantes in the 19th century and the commencement of the 20th century.
In March 1900, the Governor of the Gold Coast, Sir Frederick Hodgson led a British contingent to Asante to demand the Golden Stool, the highly revered, sacred, physical symbol and emblem of Asante power.
While some of the Asante Paramount Chiefs were hesitant to take up arms, IT TOOK A WOMAN, Nana Yaa Asantewaa to galvanize the chiefs and people of Asante to stand up, fight and repel the British in their most sacrilegious adventure.
Nana Konadu exemplified Nana Yaa Asantewaa. She always fought against the marginalization of women and children.
As the famous columnist, Africanus Owusu Ansah once wrote: “Nana Konadu was credited with the formation of the 31st December Women’s Movement, which taught many deprived women how to establish cottage industries to generate income and save money to secure their independence.
The Movement gave opportunities for women to be part of the decision-making process.
Women were propelled to adopt policies on health and girl child education.
They were keen on adult literacy, discouraged early marriages, and were formidable in the affairs of children to the extent of pushing Ghana to adopt the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.”
Nana Konadu and her husband, His Excellency President Jerry John Rawlings were the co-founders of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the political party currently in power in Ghana.
They contributed immensely to the promulgation of the 1992 Constitution, which ushered Ghana into its 4th Republican Constitutional governance, effective January 1992 and still in progress. Like her husband who became the first President under the 4th Republican Constitution from 1992 to early 2001, Nana Konadu aspired to become the first female President of the Republic of Ghana.
In 2016, she contested the presidency. Although she was unable to break the highest glass ceiling women face, she certainly put enough cracks in it to ease the path of the women that will come behind her in their own bid for the presidency.
Following her death on 23rd October 2025, the whole nation has been unified in grief, and she has been accorded all the attributes of a former Head of State.
The President of the Republic, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama declared three days of national mourning in honour of her immense service and legacy.
Indeed, when he and his wife, Mrs. Lordina Mahama led a government delegation to Nana Konadu’s residence on Wednesday, 29th October 2025, President Mahama emphasized that Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings would remain the longest serving “First Lady” of Ghana.
She had served in that position for approximately twenty years. Under the prevailing 1992 constitutional dispensation, Presidents and First ladies have a maximum of eight years.
Accordingly, a state funeral would be held for Ghana’s longest serving First Lady. The date has since been fixed for Friday, 28th November 2025 at Independence Square.
Alas death has laid its icy hands on Ohenenana Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings. However, as observed in Shakespeare’s Macbeth “Life is but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more”.
Yet; her legacy defies that silence and her courage, her poise and leadership will echo far beyond her time.
For who can ever forget, the elegant and unforgettable “First Lady”, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings.
My wife Jocelyn and I, and our children send our deepest condolences to Zanetor, Princess Amina, Yaa Asantewaa, Kimathi, Nana Serwah, Nana Sefa and Nana Afriyie.
May the good Lord grant our “First Lady” his perfect, peaceful rest.
