Finger Nails Polishing And Pedicure Wives� Konadu, Now A Vice Chairperson of NDC, So What Next�?

Mrs. Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, President of the 31st December Women�s Movement, wife of the �Founder� of the NDC, has had her way. Over the weekend, in the Northern Region capital of Tamale, she was crowned a Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC). Given the title of �Obaapa� by Mamme Dokunu, now an implacable enemy, Mrs. Rawlings has clawed her way back to power sort of � since her husband was debarred by the constitution after he completed two four year terms and the NDC lost power to the NPP in 2000. Until then she had enjoyed the title of �First Lady� for almost 20 years (1982-2001). Now she is only a Former First Lady, a title she shares with Mrs. Theresa Kufuor and in time, will share with Mrs. Naadu Mills. But that�s not exactly accurate, because Mrs. Fulera Limann, Mrs. Afrifa, Mrs. Acheampong and Mrs. Akuffo, also have stakes to that title too!. What none of them can boast of is the Vice Chairmanship of a major political party, which Mrs. Rawlings, by right, can now add to her titles. Feared, despised, perhaps even liked, and some would say ruthless and vindictive, she is the quintessential political creature, living, sleeping, eating and excreting politics. At the Tamale Congress over the weekend, her husband and party founder could not hide his frustration and anger with the way her candidature had attracted hostility from sections of the party. In his address he sneeringly lambasted those people and referred to their wives, who according to him, when Konadu was busy organizing women to the cause of the NDC, they were engaged in mending their finger nails and pedicure! It was an acid attack from a man who saw those opposing Konadu�s candidature as traitors and disloyal. Now that she holds and executive position in the political party her husband founded, it is left to be seen what she can do with it to advance Ghana�s democracy. The road to that position was not smooth. It was not handed to her on the proverbial silver platter. Along the way, she had to fend off stinging barbs from many senior members of the party, including the General Secretary, Mr. Asiedu Nketsia (General Mosquito) who had described her bid as a �wild goose chase�. She shot back by questioning his allegiance to the party and founder, who she said more or less, made General Mosquito what he is today. It was with that kind of uneasy relationships that the party convened in Tamale last week. Mrs. Rawlings� ascent as an NDC national officer is seen by many people as just a stepping stone to the ultimate prize: A presidential candidate to the NDC ticket somewhere along the line.