What Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings Didn’t Tell Ghanaians
My admiration for the military—and for Jerry John Rawlings—began long before I wore the uniform for 26 years. I first saw him in Ho during the early days of the revolution. The crowd surged toward him with an affection that seemed almost spiritual. In my village, where television was nonexistent and only the privileged owned radios, seeing him in person felt like witnessing history.
By fate, I later joined the Ghana Armed Forces and was posted to the Second Battalion of Infantry in Takoradi. Writing became my hobby. Friends praised my articles, and a cousin once compared my style to the late GTV reporter, Francis Sasu. Their encouragement eventually pushed me toward journalism.
During a 1991 UNIFIL pilgrimage from South Lebanon to Israel, while serving with a Ghanaian Battalion, I documented my experiences, sharing notes and photos with friends back home. Their feedback strengthened my resolve, and with inspiration from Ex Sgt Nana Fofie (then Cpl) of the Armed Forces Public Relations Directorate, I applied to the Ghana Institute of Journalism. My Commanding Officer, Brig Gen George Amamoo (Rtd), then Lt Col, allowed me to attend even before my study leave was approved. I am forever grateful to him.
A Story of Compassion
In 1998, my project work took me to Dzemeni in the Volta Region for data gathering. There, I encountered two children who had dropped out of school and urgently needed medical attention. Their guardians couldn’t afford the surgery. I petitioned several organisations, including the 31st December Women’s Movement (31DWM), headed by the late Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings. Only this Movement responded, forwarding my appeal to the Ministry of Health, which ensured one of the children was successfully operated upon at Peki Government Hospital.
Years later, after President Rawlings had left office, I presented this letter to him. True to his word, he gave it to his wife, Nana Konadu, who invited me to her office. Our conversation lasted nearly an hour. She wanted to know why only one child received help. When I explained, she was pleased to learn the boy had completed Senior High School and was now a barber. She expressed joy and wished to support him with capital to expand his business and help others.
The Hidden Struggle of the 31DWM
To my surprise, she revealed what many Ghanaians may not know: the collapse of the 31DWM was not natural but engineered by an individual within the NDC. The Movement’s main income came from supply contracts with the Ghana Armed Forces—contracts that employed thousands of women. When the contracts were abruptly cancelled, not only did these women lose their jobs, but the Movement itself was financially crippled.
Nana Konadu insisted that this act of internal sabotage was the true reason she fell out with the party. Had the Movement survived, she said, it could have helped transform the barbering career of the rescued boy and many others.
Before leaving her presence, I suggested the need for forgiveness and reconciliation. With a calm smile, she said:
“Oh yes, I have forgiven everyone!”
She carried a burden—not of bitterness, but of quiet sorrow. She had given her all and watched a movement she built crumble due to the decisions of one individual. This revelation reshaped my understanding of her public battles and her silence.
A Legacy Beyond Politics
Today, as Nana journeys beyond this life, I feel compelled to honor more than her public image. I honor the woman who paused to ask about two needy children, the woman who wanted to help a young barber she had never met, the woman who carried unseen wounds, and the forgiveness she offered even when it wasn’t requested.
Ghana may debate her politics for generations, but those who encountered her humanity will remember something deeper. May her soul find peace, and may her legacy—both known and untold—continue to inspire those who labor quietly for the good of others.
Rest in peace, Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings.
By Ex Woi Bright
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