Ghana has lost one of its most influential public figures. Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, the country’s longest-serving First Lady and a pioneering voice for women’s empowerment, passed away on Thursday, 23 October 2025, at the Ridge Hospital in Accra. She was 76.
Born on 17 November 1948 in Cape Coast, Ghana, she grew into a leader who bridged traditional authority and modern activism. As the wife of former President Jerry John Rawlings, Nana Konadu held the role of First Lady across both military and civilian governments, from June 1979 and again from December 1981 through January 2001.
But her legacy stretches far beyond ceremonial duties. In 1982, she founded the 31st December Women’s Movement (DWM), a grassroots organisation aimed at mobilising women across Ghana for socio-economic improvement and political participation. Under her leadership the movement established hundreds of pre-schools and championed laws that strengthened inheritance rights for widows and children.
In 2016, she made history by becoming the first woman to run for Ghana’s presidency, contesting under the banner of the National Democratic Party (NDP), which she founded. Although her bid was unsuccessful, the move signalled a breakthrough in the nation’s political and gender landscape.
Her academic and professional journey reflected her forward-looking vision. She pursued studies in interior design, development policy, and public leadership, earning credentials from institutions including the University of Twente in the Netherlands and Johns Hopkins University in the U.S.
Nana Konadu’s personal presence was one of compassion and conviction. She travelled the country, listened to women’s concerns and galvanised action. She once said her aim was simple: “to see the emancipation of women at every level of development to enable them to contribute and benefit from the socio-economic and political progress of the country.”
The news of her death has triggered tributes from across Ghana. Civil society leaders, international partners, and ordinary citizens recognised the profound gap her passing leaves. For many, she represented hope, agency and the possibility of a more inclusive Ghana.
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