Konadu's Extraordinary PR Coup

She came across as a model fresh from winning a Miss Ashanti beauty pageant, not a retired mother of 55.

Mrs. Rawlings? carriage for her extraordinary interview with Paul Adom Otchere on Metro TV, sported a healthy freshly pressed hair parted at the lower side of her head to show that her hair is all natural, no wig, no attachment nor any of the modern hair accessories that have fooled many a man. Gone were the huge bouquet of scarves that used to hang from her head like giant antennae, gone were the army of hangers on and praise singers that disappeared like rats from a sinking ship when her Government was voted out by the people of Ghana.

Ms Sherry Ayittey, her general secretary, a US-trained MBA and former Chief Executive of Gihoc distilleries that rolled out a steady line of alcoholic beverages that are now being enjoyed all over the world and at duty free shops in Ghana, was the only loyalist in attendance.

This was a far cry from the steely, disrespectful, arrogant, pompous, bitchy image that she imposed on the Ghanaian sub-consciousness.

Mrs. Rawlings? cloth was soft and decent, covering a lithe ?European? body, revealing no hint of flesh. It was so adorable that a caller, the last caller, gasped in admiration and demanded to know which of the top designers may have done the job.

Almost reluctantly, she revealed that she had designed it herself. But probably, what melted away all prejudices and washed away any negative perception of her and her transgressions were her pearly smiles. They wiped off all crevices of darkness and replaced them with sunshine. Mrs. Rawlings? physical posturing was also straight from the textbook.

Relaxed without looking intimidated, her upper body was firm and when she gestured to make a point, her mannerisms exuded class and polish.

What The Chronicle used to describe as talons now looked like neatly manicured fingers, which in fact they were. The effect of the frankness, courage to deal with all questions and issues head on without a hint of anger worked wonders even on her interviewer.

Paul admitted he had thrown everything at her, believing she would be provoked and lose her balance. ?I was impressed?, he said, in a telephone interview to ask for his personal take on the former first lady?s take.

Above all, the defining point was credibility. She could be believed as she persuasively answered even the most cunningly devised questions and dismissed false allegations with correct emphasis.

Most of the callers ? this was unannounced so the professional callers could not have been prepared-gave her the thumbs up.

Most telling was the question of her younger sister, Nana Yaa and the one-sided stories that the public had perpetually been fed with by the gullible media.

Suddenly, Nana Yaa, wife of arch critic, Haruna Atta, appeared as the disrespectful younger sister who was censured by the GBC authorities and not victimized at the command of senior sister Nana Konadu. Mrs. Rawlings? version took a long time coming, but she has had last word.

For the moment, Nana Konadu has had her redemption.