The grandchildren of Ghana’s longest-serving First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, paid tribute to her at her funeral service, describing her as a woman of unmatched energy, elegance, and influence whose presence “filled every space.”

One granddaughter, delivering the tribute by grandchildren, spoke with deep affection about the woman the public knew as a political figure and advocate, but whom she knew simply as “grandma”.

She said her grandmother was “a once-in-a-lifetime woman,” adding that she “carried a fire that crackled through every movement of her life.”

“My grandmother moved through life like a flame that knew its own strength, bright, daring, and unafraid to burn with purpose. Her presence filled every space. To know her was to feel seen, lifted, and empowered.”

She added that even at age 20, she was still expected to look away during kissing scenes on television “with her fierce insistence on viewers’ discretion.”

Reflecting on her bond with her grandmother, she said, “In her eyes, I will always be her baby.” She described the pain of her loss as something that “comes in ebbs and flows,” adding, “To imagine a world without her is to imagine a world without sun, without birdsong, without the hum of life itself.”

She said Nana Konadu was not only a national figure but also “the most fascinating woman” whose stories were never ordinary.“They were vibrant, dramatic, action-packed tales delivered with a spark in her voice that made you feel as though you were living these stories right beside her.”

She recalled how her grandmother could even turn a nature documentary into entertainment, saying, “Only she could transform National Geographic into a telenovela, turning the animal kingdom into primetime entertainment.”

The granddaughter also spoke about her grandmother’s striking sense of style and constant elegance. She said, “With grandma, glamour never rested. Even at home, she pranced around in high-heeled slippers, as if elegance itself were a language she spoke effortlessly.”

Nana Konadu’s strong personality was also remembered with humour and respect. She explained, “She was a mother to all, a matriarch who could bring even the mightiest man to heel, shrinking him back into a boy with just one look.”

She spoke of Nana Konadu’s generosity and strength, saying, “Even when the world left her tired, she still gave. Even when she was stretched thin, she still poured out love. We were truly in the presence of an angel.”

According to her, her grandmother shaped her understanding of womanhood. “Through her, I learned that womanhood is not defined by sacrifice alone, but by resilience, vibrancy, humor, grace, and the unapologetic embrace of one’s own power.” She added, “She was fierce when the world demanded strength. She is, and she will always be my hero.”

She said Nana Konadu’s legacy was one that could never fade. “When a woman turns everything she touches into gold, she leaves behind treasures that time can never tarnish.”

“The eternal way we can honour her today is by living as fully, as boldly, and as joyfully as she did. She knew how to live. Now it is our turn to follow her lead,” she added.