“I survived my incarceration of 15 months largely because of Aba. She was a woman of sacrifice, devotion, humanity, and resilience.” This is the tribute of Ghana’s former President John Agyekum Kufuor to his late wife, Theresa Kufuor.

Aba as she was affectionately called braved all odds and single-handedly catered for their five children after Mr Kufuor was thrown in Ussher Fort prison following the coup d’état which occurred on January 13, 1972.

The former President recounted that the coup happened at a time when their lives were beginning to go on an upward trajectory since he had just been appointed as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1969.

This, he said left no room for them to prepare for the unforeseen, hence, Madam Theresa’s ability to survive on the little and rescue the family from a near trauma “kept their hopes alive” and revealed the angel she was.

He continued that “With her strong, prayerful faith in God, Aba’s spirit would not and could not be broken.”

Despite his incommunicado for almost eight weeks, she welcomed their fifth and last child, adding that “her strong and exceptionally disciplined personality did indeed come to the rescue of our family."

The funeral rites for the former First Lady took place at the forecourt of the State House in Accra on Thursday.

On November 18, the final funeral rites for the former First Lady will be conducted at Heroes Park in Kumasi.

Mrs Kufuor peacefully passed away at her residence in Peduase, surrounded by her family, on October 1 at the age of 87.