Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings State Funeral: Former First Lady to be Laid to Rest Today
- Ghanaians will say a final farewell to Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings at her state funeral on November 28
- The funearl follows a requiem mass held for the former first lady on November 27, at the Accra Ridge Church
- Agyeman-Rawlings died on Thursday, October 23, 2025, at the Ridge Hospital in Accra after a short illness
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Ghanaians have converged at Black Star Square for the state funeral of former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings on November 28.
Government officials, members of the diplomatic corps and other dignitaries will be in attendance at the funeral.
Source: Facebook
Videos online have shown that people have already settled at the venue to welcome the former first lady's remains.
The national farewell followed a requiem mass held on November 27, at the Accra Ridge Church, where family members, friends and dignitaries offered tributes that underscored the depth of her contribution to Ghana’s political and social development.
Agyeman-Rawlings, the wife of the late former President Jerry John Rawlings, was Ghana’s longest-serving First Lady.
She served from June 4, 1979, to September 24, 1979, under the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), and again from December 31, 1981, to January 6, 1993, under the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC).
She continued in the role during her husband’s two constitutional terms from January 7, 1993, to January 6, 2001.
Beyond her role as First Lady, she was a pioneer in women’s empowerment and political activism, founding the 31st December Women’s Movement and later the National Democratic Party (NDP).
In June 2012, she split from the NDC and formed the National Democratic Party (NDP). The Electoral Commission subsequently (EC) disqualified her and 11 other presidential candidates for failing to meet requirements before the September 30 deadline to file nomination documents.
She contested again in 2016 on the ticket of the NDP.
Her impact extended beyond politics and advocacy. Known for her distinct fashion sense, love for the arts and spirited personality, she became an enduring figure of cultural expression and confidence.
Nana Konadu’s sisters pay tribute at mass
During the tribute by Agyeman-Rawlings' sisters, they praised her, saying she was a mother figure to them, even though she was not their eldest sibling.
“She was our trailblazer from the time we met her in our lives. She was not the oldest sister, but by divine arrangement, while our oldest sister was at the time in boarding school, Nana Konadu stepped into that role and wore the mantle of the leader. As we grew and for as long as we've known her, she has always been the one who mobilised us all.
“She was the big sister who guided us through life's turbulence and stood to fight battles if she realised someone was treating us unfairly. She set us straight when she thought we were out of line. Nana Konadu was our role model, and we aspired to be like her.
Source: YEN.com.gh
