Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings through the lens of a Gen Z – Juliana Odame writes
Growing up Gen Z in Ghana means inheriting stories you never lived. Stories of revolutions, executions, coups, reforms, and a leader who was either a hero or a villain depending on who is speaking. And somewhere in all those loud, conflicting narratives stood a woman who was just as polarising, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, Ghana’s longest-serving First Lady.
For many of us who didn’t live through her era, she existed first as an impression: powerful, controversial, elegant, intimidating, influential, and to some, uncompromising.
But observing her legacy with fresh eyes, after her passing and the waves of commentary that followed, it sparked curiosity to dig deeper: to watch her interviews, particularly with Samuel Attah-Mensah on Footprint and Stacy Amoateng on Restoration, alongside her other speeches and public appearances, and to weigh both the praise and the criticisms.
Witnessing the dignity, discipline, and grace of her children during her funeral on Friday, November 28, adds yet another layer to her story.
This is Nana Konadu, seen through the eyes of Gen Z, a generation shaped by social media commentary, family whispers, political debates, and cultural reflection.”
1. A First Lady Who Broke the Mold and Paid the Price
Before Nana Konadu, the role of a First Lady in Ghana was almost ceremonial: smile gracefully, appear when needed, cut ribbons, disappear. She changed all of that. Through the 31st December Women’s Movement (DWM), she was directly involved in women’s empowerment and economic inclusion, literacy programmes, health initiatives, public advocacy on women’s rights and national policy conversations.
But becoming the kind of First Lady who actually wielded power created intense backlash. Sometimes accused of “overstepping,” influencing government decisions, being too vocal, too ambitious, too political.
The most stinging criticisms often boiled down to one message: A First Lady should not be this visible. But she refused to shrink herself.
And that refusal shaped a new template that First Ladies can lead, speak, organise, challenge, initiate and change lives.
2. A Target of Political Backlash and Public Scrutiny
It is impossible to talk about Nana Konadu without understanding the political storms she walked through. Being married to Rawlings, a man whose name evokes strong emotions across generations, meant she was constantly scrutinized, judged for his actions, politicised even when she was simply advocating for women and children. She faced accusations of being a “co-president,” criticism for speaking boldly during a military regime, hostility during internal NDC conflicts, backlash when she contested President Mills, and attacks when she later broke away to form the NDP.
Some called her resilient. Others called her divisive. But either way, she was never ignored.
3. A Woman of Style: The Belts, the Prints, the Presence
For someone who spent decades in the public eye, Nana Konadu’s fashion deserves its own chapter. She was stylish without trying too hard, graceful without being fragile, bold without losing warmth.
Her signature belly belt, now proudly worn by her daughters, became a cultural symbol.
Her wax prints, headwraps, pearls and tailored fits made her stand out not just as a political figure, but as a fashion icon.
A Gen Z, raised on aesthetics, can’t help but notice she always looked ready, not to impress, but to represent.
4. “The Life of the Party”: A Side Her Generation and the Gen Z Generation can’t overlook
For a woman often portrayed as tough and unbending, older Ghanaians love to recall her dancing with contagious energy, singing joyfully at events, laughing loudly, lighting up the room when she wanted to.
Fortunately, this is a side the Gen Z generation came to meet and appreciate. And it made her human.
5. Her Most Undeniable Legacy: Her Children
If character is measured by the home you built, then Nana Konadu’s greatest achievement may be the adults she raised. A typical Gen Z might expect the children of Ghana’s once most powerful man to live loudly, front-row at every event, chasing the celebrity glow. But the Rawlings siblings chose a quieter path. Whenever they appear in public, their poise is impossible to miss, graceful, elegant, modestly dressed. And their brother? Always the gentleman; opening doors, steadying his mother, and looking out for his sisters with a natural, unmistakable sense of gentlemanly duty you can’t ignore.
At their mother’s funeral, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, Yaa Asantewaa Rawlings, Amina Rawlings, and Kimathi Rawlings, showed composure, courtesy, discipline, emotional strength, and quiet leadership.
They were elegant, respectful and graceful, a reflection of parenting deeply rooted in discipline and structure.
In an era where celebrity children often drift into entitlement, the Rawlings children stand out.
6. A Marriage That Required Endurance
Being Jerry John Rawlings’ wife meant living through coups and political transitions, managing public judgment, raising young children in periods of national tension, and supporting a man loved and hated in equal measure.
It requires resilience, loyalty, emotional stamina, and rare courage.
Even her critics admit she stood by her husband through the most turbulent periods of Ghana’s history.
7. How Gen Z Ultimately Sees Her
For a generation raised on political scepticism, social media narratives, and ‘second-hand memories’ of the Rawlings era, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings is both a symbol of strength and a symbol of controversy.
But looking at her whole life, not just the political noises, Gen Z can also recognise:
- A woman who reshaped the meaning of First Lady.
- A leader who insisted women must have power, not just applause.
- A mother who raised disciplined, grounded children.
- A cultural figure who was stylish, bold and original.
- A partner who stood through storms many would not endure.
- A human being who fought battles and stayed true to herself.
She was Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, a woman you may debate, but a woman you cannot erase.