Widow of the late former president of Ghana, Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, has recounted how her late husband left her to support her own business even though he could have done so through government funds, as a way of proving herself to him.

She made this known in her tribute to the former statesman, read on her behalf by her daughter, Amina, at the Black Star Square in Accra, where the final funeral rites of her husband was held.

“You expected me to prove my worth, by refusing to help my organization financially and challenging me flatly to raise my own funds if I felt the cause was important enough,” her daughter, Amina, read.

She added that this experience taught her to be independent, helping her step out herself to seek support for her NGO, Women’s Movement.

She said that decision is one that she appreciates and understands better today because it showed her the importance of separating her business from that of the government.

“Today, I appreciate and understand the importance of separating my NGO Women’s Movement work from government business. I went all around the world boldly fundraising and shamelessly negotiating in different sectors for opportunities for Ghanaian women and children,” she wrote.

Jerry John Rawlings died on Thursday, November 12, 2020, at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, after a short illness.