The Woman behind JJ’s Self-Destruction

NANA KONADU

Exclusive Features (Part 2 of 25)

A News Desk Research Report

Whiles unapologetic Nana Konadu, as stated in the previous part of this write-up, may have succeeded in separating charismatic hubby, Jerry John Rawlings from friends, relations and the teeming men and women of the party he founded, a careful scrutiny of her persona will also reveal that, her own relations with friends and family is equally nothing to write home about.

Go ask Nana Yaa Agyeman, wife of Alhaji Haruna Atta, a journalist and Managing editor of the Accra Daily Mail newspaper.

Nana Yaa, a biological sister of Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings has had a frosty relationship with her sister the wife of former President Rawlings since 1985.

You may also want to find out the relationship between the former first lady and a horde of her ex-friends, acquaintances and hangers-on such as the first General Secretary of the 31st December Women’s Movement, Madam Cecilia Johns; Madam Shirley Hanni Aryettey and Mrs. Sati Ocran, a very close buddy of Konadu and wife of the current Minister of Education, Mr. Lee Ocran.

Through the overt and covert machinations of Nana Konadu, the longest serving president Ghana has ever had, Rawlings has virtually lost all his friends, some of whom were from school days, in much the same manner she has also quarrel with nearly all her former associates.

Foremost amongst companions Rawlings has fallen-out with is his best man at his wedding to Konadu, Major Kojo Boakye Gyan, the man who helped save his life after the abortive May 15th 1979 uprising, Konadu again, was the source.

Through her instrumentality, Jerry Rawlings has fallen-out with just about all his colleagues, right from the May 15th uprising through June 4th 1979 revolt to 31st December overthrow of the Liman administration and even majority of those who successfully served under him under constitutional dispensation from 1993 to January 2001.

Some other notable persons whom the Rawlingses bear grudges till date and are worth mentioning here include, Captain Kojo Tsikata, a former National Security Capo, influential Mr. Paul Victor Obeng, one time de facto prime minister, Ato and Kwamena Ahwoi, Totobi Kwakye and Chris Atim.

The rest include Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu, Dr. Obed Asamoah, Victor Smith, Fifii Kweetey and his own protégé and once beloved Professor John Evans Atta Mills.

As earlier stated in part one of this article, lawyers Adumuah Bossman and Tsatsu Tsikata, two distinguished attorneys who risked their lives to put up defense for Rawlings during his trial at the court marshal for mutiny and treason in 1979 were among the ‘casualties’ of Nana Konadu’s methodical segregation of Rawlings from his associates. Tsatsu Tsikata you remember was once portrayed in New York by Mr. Rawlings as an ‘economic whizz kid’.

It is an undeniable fact that former President Rawlings personally has had his own problems with sitting President and NDC leader, John Atta Mills, but Konadu’s extreme abhorrence for the man widely acclaimed as the genteel Professor of Law has contributed enormously to the continued rift between the two former pals.

It all began during the run-up to the 2000 election when Nana Konadu was expecting then Vice President and candidate Mills to nominate her as his running mate as a reciprocal gesture to the support her husband has been giving to him. However, at the last minute, she was disappointed when the well-mannered Professor went in for Mr. Martin Amidu, then the underdog and deputy minister of justice.

In that elections, whiles her husband and then sitting President Jerry Rawlings, who courtesy ‘Swedru declaration’ paved the way for Mills to contest the NDC primaries unopposed wanted Ghana’s longest serving foreign Minister, Obed Asamoah as Mills’ running mate, his wife, Konadu was expecting Candidate Mills to reciprocate his husband’s gesture by nominating her to the position of a running mate.

When John Mills finally settled on Obed Asamoah’s deputy at the Attorney General and Justice Ministry, Martin Amidu, Konadu was ire, and that became the first source of antipathy between Mills and Konadu.