Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, signing the book of condolence
Former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings on Monday, was at the State Banquet Hall to sign the book of condolence in honour of late President, Evans Atta Mills.
In an introspective and pensive mood, Nana Konadu sat at the signing desk, picked up the pen and quietly scribbled a short message on the pages of the condolence book.
She declined to disclose the content of her message, but hinted at her sincere grief about the untimely demise of President Mills on the afternoon of Tuesday July 24, 2012.
“We are all mourning, we are really mourning,” she simply told media men who were eagerly pressing her in to speak about a variety of issues, including questions about the lessons to be drawn from the tragic death of the then sitting President.
Nana Konadu signed the book of condolence on behalf of the 31st December Women’s Movement.
She was accompanied by about 10 members of the Movement and was visibly sad at the unprecedented demise.
She was in traditional dark attire and was looking extremely smart.
In an emotional tone, she told the press that her group sincerely felt the loss of late President Mills, adding that she wished the family of the President and the people of Ghana her utmost condolence.
According to the former First Lady, everybody was signing condolence book as a general show of national unity, “that is why everybody is here,” Nana Konadu stated.
Just last Friday, her husband, ex-President Jerry John Rawlings, sent his personal condolence to the family of late President Mills and the people of Ghana. The content of his epitaph has generated media buzz with its forwardness.
In his statement which leaked to the press, ex-President Rawlings, who had also been a strong critic of the Mills administration, wrote, “Fare thee well Prof. Let’s hope we will do better at keeping those with destructive tendencies away and out of the national endeavours. Help to provide JM (John Mahama) with whatever guidance you can offer from where you are since you are now free.”
The former First Lady had been a stern critic and opponent of ex-President Mills in his lifetime.
She has, on several platforms, contended that former President Mills lacked the essential leadership qualities needed to transform the Ghanaian economy and hold together the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
In fact, the mutual aversion to each other led to the epic contest for the NDC’s flagbearer in the famous Sunyani congress.
The unexpected death of the President had momentarily halted the acrimonies between the two factions in the party as they collectively mourn the departed President.
Several other dignitaries who took turns to enter their messages in the condolence book after the former First Lady were Professor Kofi Awonoor, Chairman of the Council of State, Prof. Prof. John S. Nabila, president of the National House of Chiefs, George Aggudey, former presidential candidate for the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Dr. Tony Aubynn, Chief Executive of the Ghana Chamber of Mines and several other crème de la crème of the Ghanaian society.
By Raphael Adeniran
