Ramatu Aliu Mahama Explained

Ramatu Aliu Mahama
Successor:Lordina Mahama
Birth Place:Gold Coast
Birth Date:15 October 1951
Birth Name:Ramatu Egala
Death Place:Accra, Ghana
Office:Second Lady of Ghana
Term Label:In role
Term Start:7 January 2001
Term End:7 January 2009
Predecessor:Ernestina Naadu Mills
Country:Ghana
Spouse:Aliu Mahama
Father:Imoru Egala
Children:Farouk Aliu Mahama
Nationality:Ghanaian
Party:New Patriotic Party

Ramatu Mahama (Egala, 15 October 1951 – 7 April 2022) was a Ghanaian educationist who served as the second lady of Ghana from 2001 to 2009.[1] Mahama was the wife of the 4th vice-president of Ghana, the late Aliu Mahama.

Early life and career

Ramatu was born on 15 October 1951.[2] Mahama was an educationist in Tamale, the capital city of the Northern Region and the Second Lady of Ghana from 6 January 2001 to 7 January 2009.[3]

Personal life

Mahama was the daughter of the late politician Imoru Egala, a Minister for Trade and Industry and first Ghanaian chairman of COCOBOD, in the first republic.[4] Mahama was married to the late Alhaji Aliu Mahama, who was the vice-president for Ghana from 2001 to 2009.[5] She is also the mother of Farouk Aliu Mahama the member of parliament for the Yendi Constituency.[6] She had four children; Salma Mahama, Farouk Mahama, Fayad Mahama and Halim Mahama. In September 2021, there were reports of her death which were later denied by her son Farouk Mahama via an official statement on social media platform Facebook.[7] Mahama was a Muslim.

Death and funeral

Hajia Ramatu Mahama died at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital on 7 April 2022, at the age of 70.[8] She had been battling a heart-related illness for about two years.[9] [10] The following day, Hajia Ramatu Mahama was laid in state at the Black Star Square in the morning of 9 April 2022 and a memorial service held in her honour.[11] The National Chief Imam, Osman Nuhu Sharubutu led prayers for her and the Islamic Ṣalāt al-Janāzah prayer for departed soul was said for her. Hajia Ramatu Mahama's body was transported to Kalpohin, Tamale to where a final burial service was done before she was buried beside her husband.[12] [13] [14] At the funeral, former president John Kufuor eulogized her saying,

"She was thoughtful and supported her husband, who was Vice-President during my time in government. She was a great hostess any time we traveled to the north, especially around Tamale."[15]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Frimpong . Enoch Darfah . 7 April 2022 . Ramatu Mahama, wife of former Veep Aliu Mahama passes on . 7 April 2022 . Graphic Online .
  2. Web site: 8 April 2022 . All you need to know about the late Hajia Ramatu Mahama . 10 April 2022 . GhanaWeb .
  3. Web site: 8 April 2022 . Late Aliu Mahama's wife, Ramatu Mahama passes on . 10 April 2022 . My Joy Online .
  4. Book: Amamoo, Joseph Godson . Ghana: 50 Years of Independence . 2007 . Jafint Ent. . 978-9988-1-0545-7 . en.
  5. Web site: 9 April 2022 . Kufuor, Bawumia, others pay final respects to late Ramatu Aliu Mahama [Photos] ]. 10 April 2022 . Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana . en-US.
  6. Web site: Abdul-Hanan . 9 November 2020 . Aliu Mahama Foundation Announces 8th Anniversary And Memorial Lecture . 27 December 2020 . Modern Ghana . en.
  7. Web site: My mother is not dead — Farouk Mahama . 10 April 2022 . Modern Ghana . en.
  8. Web site: 2022-05-25 . Final Islamic prayers for late Aliu's widow to be held June 4 . 2022-05-25 . GhanaWeb . en.
  9. Web site: Agboklu . George . 7 April 2022 . Former Second Lady Hajia Ramatu Mahama passes on . 10 April 2022 . Ghana News Agency .
  10. Web site: Akomah . Hellen Grace . 7 April 2022 . Late Vice President, Aliu Mahama's wife dies . 10 April 2022 . CitiNewsroom .
  11. Web site: Longdon . Bervelyn . Nyabor . Jonas . 9 April 2022 . Kufuor, Bawumia, others pay final respects to late Ramatu Aliu Mahama [Photos] ]. 10 April 2022 . CitiNewsroom .
  12. Web site: Darko . Kenneth Awotwe . 10 April 2022 . Former First Lady Emily Akuffo has died . 10 April 2022 . My Joy Online .
  13. Web site: Bugri . Martina . 9 April 2022 . Ramatu Aliu Mahama laid to rest . 10 April 2022 . My Joy Online .
  14. Web site: Wayo . Rosemary . Gumah . Solomon . 9 April 2022 . Hajia Ramatu Aliu Mahama laid to rest at Kalpohin . 17 April 2022 . Ghana News Agency .
  15. Web site: Agyeman . Nana Konadu . Koomson . Joshua . 9 April 2022 . Hajia Ramatu Aliu Mahama, wife of former Vice President laid to rest . 10 April 2022 . Graphic Online .