Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, Ghana’s former first lady, has passed away.
Felix Ofosu, presidential spokesperson, said Agyeman-Rawlings died on Thursday morning after a short illness. She was 76.
Agyeman-Rawlings was married to Jerry Rawlings, Ghana’s longest-serving leader. This also made her the country’s longest-serving first lady.
Rawlings died in 2020 after leading two coups and later served as an elected president. He presided over Ghana for 19 years.
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The former first lady’s family visited President John Mahama earlier on Thursday to officially notify him of her death.
Mahama leads the National Democratic Congress (NDC) party, founded by Rawlings after he took power.
Agyeman-Rawlings nursed political ambitions and was the NDC’s first vice-chairperson in 2009.
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She lost her bid to become the party’s presidential candidate in 2011 and formed the National Democratic Party (NDP).
In 2016, she became the first woman to run for president of Ghana as her party’s flag bearer. She was nicknamed “The Hillary Clinton” of Africa for her bold attempt.
Agyeman-Rawlings lost the contest, securing less than one percent of the votes cast.
The former first lady was also an outspoken women’s rights advocate.
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She spearheaded legal changes, including the adoption of a law which improved the inheritance rights of widows and children.
Through her efforts, Ghana became the first nation in the world to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 1990.
Ghana’s parliament has adjourned in honour of Agyeman-Rawlings as the country prepares to officially mourn the iconic political figure celebrated for empowering millions of women.
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