She was not born a politician but born into a family of politicians. She grew into one and became easily the most powerful, thoroughly influential first ladies in the history of Ghana.
She lives a life of colour, bright colours and always announced her presence with a trademark red beret on top of a local fabric championing the cause of women under a movement, the 31st December Women’s movement.
She built a home, raised her kids outside the home, and supported a vintage husband, an ex-president who would remain an enigma in Ghana’s political history.
Her home could well be a study of how a stable family survives under unstable political ideologies; with wife breaking away from a party she helped the husband form and forming a new party with an ambition to win an election to become president; while still supporting her daughter, in principle, to win a parliamentary election on the ticket of the party she broke away from.
That may sound confusing but not to Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings. And when she appeared on Lexis Bills’ Personality Profile on Drive Time, Thursday, the easy going, former first lady in her unmistakable local bright fabric appeared not to have lost a thought or sleep for making the singular move to form a new party.
Her move to form the National Democratic Party was principled, she said. Her husband’s party had lost its way; taken over by people “with no good upbringing,” people who “were not members of the party but found themselves in positions of power and thought that was the end of the world.”
She is a lone ranger in her new party but appears to have found peace, not because she left the old party but because she is “happy there is change,” the old party led by ex-president John Mahama lost to President Nana Akufo-Addo. She would not comment on the first 100 days of the new administration because she believes the Akufo-Addo government needs far more than 100 days to repair what she hinted is the rot perpetrated by the NDC in eight years.
She certainly had not lost her love for music and for Ofori Amponsah. She couldn’t help but hum and nod in glee when Lexis let in a track. She giggled and wiggled in her seat in profound excitement. But her love for her husband could not be described. She won’t say how he proposed to her but she remembered that day with blush and grace.
She can’t say if she is romantic but remembers so graciously the many flowers, notes and cups of tea her husband, Mr Rawlings, handed over to her in a typical romantic gesture.
She is a mother of four but a mother to millions be they supporters, admirers who love and would celebrate her on the Mothers Day which is just days away. Listen to the rivetting interview Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings had with Lexis Bill.
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