Ghana’s former First Lady and renowned women’s rights advocate, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, has died at the age of 76.
She was the widow of the country’s longest-serving leader, Jerry John Rawlings, who passed away five years ago. Rawlings led two military coups before being twice elected president under Ghana’s multiparty democratic system.
According to presidential spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Agyeman-Rawlings died on Thursday morning after a short illness. The BBC reported that her family formally notified President John Mahama of her death later that afternoon.
President Mahama, who leads the National Democratic Congress (NDC) founded by Jerry Rawlings, paused to honour the memory of the late former First Lady during the swearing-in ceremony of new High Court Justices on Thursday.
Born in November 1948 in Cape Coast, Agyeman-Rawlings came from a middle-class family and attended Achimota School in Accra, where she met her future husband. She later studied art and textiles at university, while Rawlings joined the Air Force, rising to the rank of Flight Lieutenant in 1978—the year after their marriage.
By the time Rawlings seized power in 1979 at the age of 32, Nana Konadu had become one of his most trusted advisers. Together, they formed one of Ghana’s most dynamic and influential political partnerships.
The couple had four children, including Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, who now serves as an NDC Member of Parliament.
Agyeman-Rawlings played a pivotal role in advancing women’s rights in Ghana. She was instrumental in the 1989 law guaranteeing inheritance rights for women and children and contributed significantly to the gender equality provisions enshrined in Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, which marked the return to multiparty democracy.
Ghana’s parliament adjourned in her honour, while tributes have flooded social media celebrating her legacy as a pioneering politician and tireless advocate for gender equality.
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, Richmond Rockson, praised her on X (formerly Twitter), describing her as “an exceptional First Lady whose visionary leadership and strong organisational skills left an indelible mark on Ghana’s history.”
“She stood firmly by Chairman Jerry John Rawlings during the revolution, displaying courage, loyalty, and resilience at a defining moment in our nation’s journey. Her unwavering commitment to women’s empowerment led to the establishment of the 31st December Women’s Movement, which she led as president,” the statement read.
Agyeman-Rawlings was also a political figure in her own right. In 2012, she sought the NDC’s presidential ticket but lost the nomination. Through her 31st December Women’s Movement, she championed women’s economic empowerment, entrepreneurship, and education across the country.
The movement took its name from 31 December 1981, the date of her husband’s second coup, marking the beginning of their joint political influence on Ghana’s modern history.