Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings wasn’t celebrated enough while alive — Elikem Kotoko

Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, Elikem Kotoko, says Ghana failed to give the late former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings, the recognition she truly deserved while she was alive.

Nana Konadu was confirmed dead on Thursday, October 23, while receiving treatment at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital following a short illness.

According to Elikem Kotoko, despite her immense contributions to women’s empowerment and national development, Nana Konadu did not receive the level of honour befitting her role in Ghana’s political and social history.

Speaking on Accra-based Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily show on Monday, October 27, the Forestry Commission Deputy CEO said the late First Lady should have been celebrated for her strong advocacy for women and her pivotal role during the country’s revolutionary era.

“Indeed, I also agree that we have not celebrated her enough — true. But is she the only one? No. It is just in the nature of Ghanaians. We like to glorify dead people, and I find it very troubling that as part of our culture, we rather glorify people when they are gone, not when they are alive,” he lamented.

He noted that Nana Konadu’s name cannot be erased from the country's history, particularly for her role in founding the 31st December Women’s Movement, which he said transformed the lives of countless women across the country.

“You can never read the history of Ghana without the name Rawlings, and it cannot be taken away from her that she was one of the most active First Ladies who played a strong complementary role in shaping the country. If we are not careful, even in the next century, we may not have another woman like her,” he stressed.