Ramatu Mahama ( Egala, 15 October 1951 – 7 April 2022) was a Ghanaian educationist who served as the

second lady of Ghana Second Lady of Ghana is the title given to the wife of the vice-president of the Republic of Ghana. The current second lady is Samira Bawumia, who has held that position since 2017 when her husband Mahamudu Bawumia was sworn into office. They are ...

from 2001 to 2009. Mahama was the wife of the 4th

vice-president of Ghana The vice-president of Ghana is the second-highest officer in the Government of Ghana. The vice-president, together with the President of Ghana, is directly elected by the people through popular vote to serve a four-year term in office. The vice- ...

, the late

Aliu Mahama Alhaji Aliu Mahama (3 March 1946 – 16 November 2012) was a Ghanaian engineer and politician who was Vice-President of Ghana from 7 January 2001 to 7 January 2009. A member of the New Patriotic Party, he was Ghana's first Muslim Vice-Preside ...

Early life and career

Ramatu was born on 15 October 1951. Mahama was an

educationist Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Var ...

in Tamale, the capital city of the Northern Region and the

Second Lady of Ghana Second Lady of Ghana is the title given to the wife of the vice-president of the Republic of Ghana. The current second lady is Samira Bawumia, who has held that position since 2017 when her husband Mahamudu Bawumia was sworn into office. They are ...

from 6 January 2001 to 7 January 2009.

Personal life

Mahama was the daughter of the late politician

Imoru Egala Alhaji Imoru Egala (5 December 1916 – 1 April 1981) was a Ghanaian politician and educationist. He held various positions in government in the Gold Coast (British colony), Gold Coast and after independence of Ghana. He was the Minister for For ...

, a Minister for Trade and Industry and first Ghanaian chairman of COCOBOD, in the first republic. Mahama was married to the late Alhaji

, who was the vice-president for Ghana from 2001 to 2009. She is also the mother of

Farouk Aliu Mahama Umar Farouk Aliu Mahama (born 27 April 1981) is a Ghanaian politician who is a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). He is the member of parliament for the Yendi Constituency after winning in the 2020 parliamentary elections. Early life and ...

the member of parliament for the Yendi Constituency. 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. Mahama was a

Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

Death and funeral

Mahama died at the

Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) is a public teaching hospital located in the Ablekuma South Metropolitan District in Accra, Ghana. It is the only public tertiary hospital in the southern part of the country. It is a teaching hospital affiliate ...

on 7 April 2022, at the age of 70. She had been battling a heart-related illness for about two years. The following day, Mahama was laid in state at the

Black Star Square Black Star Square, also known as Independence Square, is a public square in Accra, Ghana, bordered by the Accra Sports Stadium and the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park. The square often hosts the annual independence celebrations as well as other nation ...

in the morning of 9 April 2022 and a memorial service held in her honour. The National Chief Imam,

Osman Nuhu Sharubutu Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu (born 23 April 1919) is a Ghanaian Islamic cleric who currently serves as the Chief Imam of Ghana, as well as a member of the National Peace Council. He was first appointed as the Deputy Regional Chief Imam in 1974 after a ...

led prayers for her and the Islamic Ṣalāt al-Janāzah prayer for departed soul was said for her. Mahama's body was transported to Kalpohin, Tamale to where a final burial service was done before she was buried beside her husband. At the funeral, former president

John Kufuor John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor (born 8 December 1938) is a Ghanaian politician who served as the President of Ghana from 7 January 2001 to 7 January 2009. He was also Chairperson of the African Union from 2007 to 2008. Kufuor's career has been sp ...

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."''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mahama, Ramatu 1951 births 2022 deaths Ghanaian Muslims Second ladies of Ghana People from Northern Region (Ghana)