To be brutally honest…..I’m not a fan of any of Ghana’s political parties, I’m not a fan of any African government -full stop and its such a shame… Its a shame because I would love to be. Whenever I think of Ghana or other African countries, it truly pains me that not one of these countries stands out as being truly for or about their people…if you know what I mean, thus I very rarely celebrate/look at Africa’s governing personas and most definitely never look at their wives -if I can help it (even though one or two of Africa’s first ladies -intrigue me soooo, especially the ones who fly out of their third world countries on private jets to buy Chanel shoes in gay Parieee). I’ve never thought much of any of them.. How on earth can you call yourself a president [of a third world country] and hold your head up in public when many of your sooo called people are going to bed hungry is way beyond me …but what do I know?
I’ve always seen ex president Jeremiah John Rawlings -(President from 7 January 1993 to 7 January 2001) and (4 June 1979 to 24 September 1979 -as Flight Lieutenant , Chairman of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council -and again from the 31 December 1981 to 7 January 1993 -as Flight Lieutenant , Chairman of the Provisional National Defence Council) -as a sort of former gangster who took over Ghana as a soldier and sort of fell in love with his country and his people just as he was loosing power -I came to this conclusion some time back when I was watching an interview featuring him, and he seemed full of unspoken regret…I’m guessing that many former presidents/prime ministers get to this place. He sort of redeemed himself further when I watched another piece about him on CNN (I think) -asking the American government for money they owed us [Ghana] with regards to timber …it was some time ago so I hope I have all my facts right. Basically that piece touched me and he, Jerry Rawlings became more human.
With regards to former president John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor -(President from 7 January 2001 to 7 January 2009), I never paid much attention. There was talk of some reduction in poverty etc etc but as folk back home were still complaining: the roads of Ghana are killing people, the elderly are going hungry, children are selling during the day instead of attending school etc etc, -I just wrote him off as another disappointing president but this changed somewhat after my mother (she’s not easy or easily pleased) meet him several times and found him to be a humble gentleman….But with regards to Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings my disappointment knew no bounds…until I saw the above photographs…and it got me thinking….
I think its very easy for us women to be more disappointed with our fellow sisters! Like me, many of you have wondered about powerful women like Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings who are married to powerful men -in this case presidents -and wondered….why didn’t they influence their husbands in a much more positive way? Why didn‘t they like Esther in the Bible save their people? Was there a conversation that went like….“honey the children of Ghana are starving -the north of Ghana is barren, the roads aren’t safe, lets build children’s homes for orphans, lets provide some small pension for those over 70 etc etc“? …Because you and I both know that we women, -especially we Ghanaian women with our Yaa Asantewaa spirit (my Yaa Asantewaa spirit is going crazy just thinking about the state of Ghana) -have special powers….-right??? Well whether Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings was suggesting some of the aforementioned problems facing Ghana now (and then) to her husband or not ……like most -she was that ambitious woman (not that ambition is bad you hear..). I was always more disappointed with her than her husband as I have always seen women as more powerful… But as I said that was until now….
The above photos featuring Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings and Ghana’s former opposing presidents, John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor and her husband Jerry Rawlings has made me see her in a different light!!!
Vital, happy, forgiving, light, neat and contained, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings’ meekness but visual dance….. has thrown me…. Because only a woman with a heart, who has loved and lived, has been let down and has risen can achieve this… very human stance. The above photographs show a real woman not a heartless machine. I also see someone who is fun, multi faceted and alive…
Truly beautiful…the two opposing former presidents dancing together to the yummy music of Daddy Lumba, only his healing music could do this.., their genuine affection (maybe that’s tooo strong a word) -their true like of each other and joy is there for all to see…but my intrigue lays with the very alive Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings???
Dancing to Daddy Lumba’s sweet music -she is somewhat shy but confident, dressed fabulously -and she knows it -and she is happy …A woman of a certain age Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings still has that youthfulness, that some thing, some thing that keeps the buoyant -alive and vital and there I say it…sexy and still juicy. Good for you Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings -because I truly believe that most of us got you wrong….because beasts can not dance and enjoy themselves like this…for they do not have hearts.
But I wonder…… which one of Daddy Lumba’s sweets songs had this modern day Yaa Asantewaa dancing with such gay abandon? Was it …..‘Obi Ate Me So Bo’, ‘Eye Nadom’, ‘Odo nti’, ‘Theresa’, ‘Woho Kyere’, ‘Pony’ or ‘Dangerous’ …I’m thinking…she’s most definitely dancing to ‘Dangerous’…what do you think??
By Paulina Opoku-Gyimah
(Photos by Talk of Ghana)
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