Rawlings Family Appeals for Privacy Amid Deep Mourning: Burial Details for Nana Konadu to Be Announced by President
The family of the late former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings has issued a poignant plea for privacy as they grapple with profound grief following her sudden passing on Thursday morning.
In a brief press conference at her Ridge residence in Accra, family head Oheneba Lovelace Prempeh announced that funeral arrangements will be communicated by the President in due course, emphasizing the need for space during this intimate period of mourning.
“The family has informed His Excellency the President, who, in turn, caused a statement to be issued confirming Nana Konadu’s death,” Prempeh, son of the late Otumfour Sir Agyemang Prempeh and current Akomfrehene, stated solemnly. “At this stage, we are in deep mourning and respectfully ask for privacy. All further announcements will be made by the government.”
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has also been notified of the loss, underscoring the deep ties between the Rawlingses and traditional leadership.
Nana Konadu, 77, breathed her last at Ridge Hospital after a short illness, just weeks after her emotional appearance at the Dote Yie rites for the late Asantehemaa, where she consoled the Asantehene alongside her children, Amina and Kimathi Rawlings. Her son Kimathi, visibly moved, stood by during the briefing, symbolizing the family’s resolve amid sorrow.
The appeal comes as tributes continue to flood in from across the political spectrum, with the NDC describing her as a “founding mother” and global figures like UN Women honoring her as a “feminist icon.”
Prempeh’s words reflect a desire for dignified reflection, with the government poised to orchestrate a state funeral befitting her stature as Ghana’s first female presidential candidate and architect of women’s empowerment through the 31st December Women’s Movement.
As the nation pauses, the family’s request serves as a gentle reminder of the human side of legacy, with more details expected soon.
