My mother made Rawlings wash cars, and clean windows in our house – Nana Konadu recounts early love days
Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, the widow of Ghana’s first president in the Fourth Republic, has described her early love days with her late husband, and how he was once forced to wipe windows and wash vehicles at her home.
The former first lady discussed how all of this transpired on the first day Jerry Rawlings went to visit her at home in the ninth chapter of her book, “It Takes A Woman.”
According to her story, she had come home from school in Achimota with delight, hoping to relax after what she characterized as “a grueling term in school”
“I was quickly reminded that the romance of home-life was little more ethereal than actual,” she says of her situation.
“During the holidays, certain things never altered in our house. Saturday mornings were usually set aside for basic housekeeping tasks such as sweeping, washing, gardening, kitchen duties, and dusting the dining room, living room, and bedrooms.”
According to Nana konadu, she heard his now late husband ringing the door bell.
She went on to say that she wanted to open the door but was beaten to it by her mother.
At the door, she strained to overhear whatever talk her mother was having with the young Jerry John Rawlings.
At this point, Mrs Agyeman-Rawlings recalled what her mother told her that she had told Jerry to do.
“I told him to clean all my French windows, which he did – and cleaned them beautifully. After he was done, he asked politely for permission to leave, But he came again.”
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