Gov’t announces date for state funeral of late Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings

The Government of Ghana has announced that the state funeral for the late former First Lady, Mrs Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, will be held on Friday, 28 November 2025, at Independence Square in Accra.

A statement issued on Thursday, 6 November 2025, stated that the event will honour Mrs Rawlings for her outstanding contributions to the advancement of women’s and children’s rights, as well as her impact on national development.

Mrs Agyeman-Rawlings passed away on Thursday, 23 October 2025, after a short illness.

Born on 17 November 1948 in Cape Coast, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings was a trailblazer in Ghanaian politics and a lifelong advocate for women’s empowerment. As the wife of the late former President Jerry John Rawlings, she served as Ghana’s First Lady first in 1979 and later from 1981 to 2001. During her tenure, she redefined the traditionally ceremonial role of First Lady into a platform for active social and political advocacy.

In 1982, she founded the 31st December Women’s Movement, one of Ghana’s most influential women’s organisations. The movement, which grew to more than two (2) million members nationwide, established over 870 preschools and implemented programmes in literacy, healthcare, and economic empowerment. Her work profoundly shaped Ghana’s gender equality movement and inspired generations of women to pursue leadership roles in public life.

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Mrs Agyeman-Rawlings’ political journey extended beyond her role as First Lady. In 2011, she made history by challenging then President John Atta Mills for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential nomination. She later founded the National Democratic Party (NDP) and became the first woman to contest Ghana’s presidency in 2016.

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Following the death of her husband in November 2020, she continued to play an active role in public service and advocacy. She is survived by her four (4) children: Zanetor, Yaa Asantewaa, Amina, and Kimathi Rawlings.