Wetin make Ghanaians dey celebrate former First Lady of Ghana Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings even in death?

Hours afta news break about di death of di former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, tributes kontinu to pour in for di influential political figure.

Di wife of di former president di late Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings be di longest-serving first for di history of Ghana for at least 20 years (1979, 1981-2000).

Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings die for Accra on 23 October 2025 afta a short illness, according to her family.

"Her excellency di former First Lady sick briefly wey we take her to di Ridge hospital but she no make am unfortunately," Oheneba Akwasi Abeyie, di family head tok for one short press address for dia house.

"Di govment extend our condolences to di family of di former First Lady," govment minister for comminications tok for one statement.

Afta her husband di ex-president Rawlings die in 2020, she carry herself as a stateswoman wey she show up for every state function in style.

In fact, for September and August dis year, she attend di state funeral for di eight govment officials wey die for di helicopter crash wey she also attend di recent funeral of di Asantehemaa Nana Konadu Yiadom III for di Ashanti region.

Govment announce three days of national mourning

Di govment announce three days of national mourning in memory of di late former First Lady.

Inside one statement from di govment minister of communications, di mourning be from Friday 24 October to Sunday 26 October.

During dis time, all flags go fly at half-mast for all public buildings, diplomatic missions and govment installations throughout di kontri.

"Dis be to honour her memory and in recognition of her distinguished service to our nation."

Di statement by Felix Kwakye Ofosu add say "Mrs. Agyeman-Rawlings serve Ghana wit dedication and commitment especially for women empowerment, children welfare and social development."

Condolence messages from dignitaries

President John Mahama and IM wife Lordina Mahama say "we dey deeply saddened by di passing of di former First Lady and founder of di 31st December Women's movement."

"Her legacy and dedication to empowering women and serving our nation go forever dey our minds," president Mahama tok.

E add say "our heartfelt condolences to her family and loved ones during dis difficult time."

Former president Nana Akufo-Addo inside his tribute tok say "me and my wife Rebecca dey sad about di news of di death of di longest-serving First Lady of Ghana."

"As a role model for women for Ghana and across Africa, Mrs. Rawlings gender advocacy and women empowerment programmes wey continue to be impactful till dis day."

Di former president add say "she be warm and affectionate woman wit a good sense of him our wey she be excellent company."

For di former Vice president Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, "Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings dey leave behind legacy wey dey defined by commitment to di kontris women and girls."

"Throughout her time as First Lady, na she be true champion of women advocacy; her work empower plenty women across Ghana to achieve financial independence."

Di family say dem dey need some privacy at dis time.

Why Nana Konadu be so popular ?

She dey credited as di most influential First Lady wey empower women and girls for Ghana wit her 31st December Women's Movement wey she form in 1982.

For many women for di kontri, dem get will to enter politics and business sake of wetin Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings show for her life.

"My dream be to see di emancipation of women for every level of development so dem fit contribute to socioeconomic development of di kontri," Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings always tok.

During one of di anniversary celebration of di 31st December Women's Movement, she tok say "dis movement be non-govment organization wey dey to empower and mobilize women."

Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings use her movement to create over 800 day care schools across di kontri where mothers dey put dia children for safe environment so dem fit go about dia hustle for di markets, farms and oda places to find money for dia family.

Dis schools spread across di 10 regions wey provide pre-school training to di children especially for rural areas.

Di 31st December Women's Movement train teachers and pipo wey manage dis schools.

She also create programmes wey train women in tins like vegetable farming, batik-making, corn processing, pottery, beekeeping, soap making among odas.

On 5 September 1995, di former First Lady give one powerful speech for di fourth world conference on women for Beijin, China.

She use di platform to push for empowerment of women, training of girls and call for di world to support women to develop dia various kontris.

For dat conference, she carry some of di local traders and odas from Ghana wey she advocate for better tins for dem.

Till date, many of di daycare schools still dey operate across di kontri wey some of di factories and markets wey she use her 31st December Women's Movement to build, continue to dey help women.

For di 31st December Women's market for Accra, traders dey shocked about her death.

Dem tok say if no be for her, dem never go get work wey dem dey take feed diaserf and dia families.

"Because of Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, we get dis market today wey dey help all of us. We di women for here go miss her," one trader for di market tok local media channel TV3 afta di announcement of her death.

Odas say "di day care center wey she build long ago, still dey here wey women dey carry dia children go dia bifor dem dey come to work inside di market. She really help women for dis kontri."

In May 2025, dem celebrate di 43rd anniversary of di 31st December Women's Movement.

Inside one statement, di movement tok say "we salute di trailblazers wey lay di foundation and di team wey carry dis mission forward togeda wit di energy and drive of countless women wey use courage and strength to fuel dis journey."

Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings wey sign dat 43rd anniversary statement tok say she dey expect di movement to continue working to empower more women for dis generation.

She be di first woman to contest for president in Ghana

Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings be di first women to contest for president for Ghana

For many women in politics today, dem take inspiration from di late Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings.

In di eyes of many, she be di definition of feminist wey push for di women agenda since her days as First Lady.

Today some female politicians say she inspire dem to dream.

For 2016, she become di first woman wey contest for presidential election for Ghana afta she form her own party - national Democratic Party (NDP).

Dis be afta she lose di flagbearer race to lead di party wey her husband be founder - national democratic congress (NDC).

She comot di NDC afta she disagree wit di party on many tins.

Later for 2020, her husband di ex-president Jerry Rawlings die.

Pipo now begin to wonder if she go contest di December 2020 elections.

Inside one statement from chairman of her party di NDP, she tok say she go contest di election despite di death of her husband.

"I wan tank Ghanaians wey dey pray and support me and my family for dis sad moment when my husband die, but I still dey continue my presidential campaign for di NDP."

Afta dat election wey di New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate Nana Akufo-Addo win wit 51.3% of di votes, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings get only 6,549 votes (0.050%).

Since den she take backseat for active politics wey she dey attend state events as a former First Lady until her death.

Out of her four children, one of dem dey inside active politics.

Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings wey be di eldest, be parliamentarian wey she be lawmaker for di Korle Klottey constituency for Accra.

She dey represent di pipo on di ticket of di National Democratic Congress (NDC).

For many experts, Dr Zanetor Rawlings fit become future Vice President or even president if her party push her well.

Her three oda children Kimathi Rawlings, Amina Rawlings, Yaa Asantewaa Rawlings no dey active politics.

But dem dey join dia mother to attend state events as di former first family, afta di death of dia father, di ex-President Rawlings.

As pipo continue to celebrate her memory and di work she do for women in Ghana and beyond, her family dey plan how to give her a befitting burial.

For di NDC party, wey she and her late husband be di founders, dem say even though she comot to form her own party later in life, she still remain key pesin in di party history.

"As one of di founding pillars of di NDC, Mrs. Agyeman-Rawlings play key role in shaping di ideams and identity of our great party."

"Despite di tins wey make she go create her own party, her place for di history of di NDC story go remain significant," di NDC tok.

Nana Konadu love fashion and entertainment

Di late former First Lady be fashionista - wey she carry her style everyday for her public appearance.

She always dey wear local Ghanaian fabric and headwrap to promote di fashion industry.

Whenever she dey appear for public event, pipo dey expect to see wetin she go wear.

She always dey stand out in her colorful local textile dress and signature headwrap.

She also no dey joke wit her music and dance.

Whenever she dey public event, she go hit di dance-floor and show her moves.

Viral videos of her dance moves wit former president John Agyekum Kufour and former president Nana Akufo-Addo don comot afta her death.

She also attend music concerts and oda entertainment events to connect wit entertainers like musicians, actors and oda creatives.