Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has paid glowing tribute to former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, describing her as a “larger-than-life figure” whose passing marks the loss of a mother and a national icon who embodied equality, tolerance, and inclusivity.
Speaking after a flag-hoisting ceremony in Accra to mark the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, the Minister led members of the diplomatic community in observing a minute of silence in her honour.
He lauded the late former First Lady for her decades of advocacy for women’s empowerment and her tireless fight for the rights of the underprivileged.
Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings passed away on Thursday, October 23, 2025, at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital after a short illness.
President John Dramani Mahama has since declared three days of national mourning, with flags flying at half-mast across the country.
Born on November 17, 1948, in Cape Coast, Nana Konadu was the daughter of the late J.O.T. Agyeman. She attended Achimota School and later the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, where she studied Art, specializing in Textiles.
She also pursued higher studies in Interior Design at the London College of Arts and obtained diplomas in Advanced Personnel Management and Development from Ghanaian institutions.
As First Lady, she championed women’s empowerment through the 31st December Women’s Movement, which she founded in 1982. The movement supported women in starting businesses, promoted literacy, and fought for inheritance rights and equal opportunities.
Following her husband’s presidency, she remained politically active, serving as the first Vice Chairperson of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) before forming the National Democratic Party (NDP) in 2012. She later contested the 2016 presidential election as the NDP’s candidate.
Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings was married to the late former President Jerry John Rawlings, with whom she had four children — Zanetor, Yaa Asantewaa, Amina, and Kimathi.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
