“It’s humbling,” former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings has remarked after receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award.

She spoke to MX24 on the sidelines of the 2024 Ghana Women of the Year Honours event at the Palms Convention Centre, Accra.

“When you’re recognised, it means people are watching what you do, and so you do it well and make an impact,” Mrs Agyeman-Rawlings noted.

Her citation, accompanying her award, read: “You have dedicated your life to the pursuit of equality, justice and the upliftment of women and children in Ghana.

“As the First Lady of Ghana from 1981 to 2001, you transformed the role of First Lady into a powerful platform for advocacy and change, setting the standard for future generations.”

The Founder of the 31st December Women’s Movement thought back on the impact of the initiative.

“I can say very comfortably that I changed the perception of what a woman should be. I just refused to accept that a woman should not work,” she said, highlighting she was inspired by her mother who was a pioneering female day nursery owner in Ghana.

With the earnest encouragement of her mother, Nana Konadu held: “Every woman must have something she’s doing economically, and her child must be vaccinated and in school, and if there are no trees [in their community], they plant trees, as well.”

She spoke on rallying women under the 31st December Women’s Movement banner, telling them: “I’m not going to gain from this, you are. But, ultimately, the country will benefit. And once we’re able to make laws to protect you, you should not renege on what you want to do.”

Her advice to women, she indicated, had not changed: “Do [your work] to the fullest, make the money, so you can take care of your children.” Additionally, with a hint of humour, she said: “Most importantly, once a year, buy one cloth for your husband so he can see you’re doing something seriously.”

The wife of the late first President of the Fourth Republic H.E. Jerry John Rawlings, admonished women of today and the next generation to “take ourselves more seriously than we [currently] do”.

| Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings and son Kimathi Agyeman-Rawlings 

The founder and leader of the National Democratic Party (NDP) advised women against heeding the criticism of naysayers and settling for less than the excellence they were individually and collectively capable of.

“Walk your [unique] path, don’t give up,” she emphasised. “If I had listened to people, I’d never have had laws made for women, nor done all the things I’ve done. Probably, my kids would have had more of me, maybe – but that’d be the only plus – the rest I would not have done.”

Mrs Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings underscored her legacy, noting her role in Ghana’s current gender parity: “But because of me, women have jobs today. We couldn’t open bank accounts without our husbands signing, or some [other] man, even your little son. Today, we can.”

“There are so many things we couldn’t do before and I got laws made to change all those things. So we’ve made a big step, but I think there’s a lot more to do. We shouldn’t sleep and think we’ve got it all now. We have to continue fighting,” she urged, finally.

Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings was congratulated by the current First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo on her Facebook, September 16.

“Congratulations to former First Lady H.E. Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings on her Lifetime Achievement Award,” Mrs Akufo-Addo, who was crowned the Ultimate Woman of the Year, wrote.

Glitz Africa is the organisers of the 9th edition of the Ghana Women of the Year Honours, celebrating “change-makers, builders and pacesetters for their extraordinary efforts in the development of this nation”.