The Manhyia Palace, the seat of the occupant of the Golden Stool, has been a busy site for hundreds of mourners from all walks of life who observe the one week passing of the Asantehemaa, Nana Ama Konadu Yiadom III today, August 21, 2025.
Chiefs from every corner of the Asante Kingdom, which stretches to the northern part of the Volta Region, and other royals and dignitaries from around the world were among the mourners who joined the Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the occupant of the Golden Stool, to observe the event.
It is expected that funeral arrangements for the late queen mother will be announced on the same day. Political party leaders, especially the ruling NDC and opposition NPP were at the Dwaberem (gathering grounds) where the one week observation was held for the queen mother.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, who is the blood sister of the late queen mother, is the chief mourner. A visit to the palace and some parts of Kumasi by our news team indicated a somber environment with sadness hanging around the Asante Kingdom.
Many of its subjects were clad in traditional black and red dresses, signifying that a great tree had fallen and in recognition of the death of the Asantehema, Nana Ama Konadu Yiadom III.
Already, a ban has been placed on drumming and noisemaking throughout Asanteman. Nana Ama Konadu Yiadom III died on Thursday, August 7, 2025 at the age of 98 after reigning for eight years.
In town, many people were spotted wearing black and when approached, they told our news team that they were mourning the demise of the queen mother.
Maame Afua Serwaa said “although I never saw her in person, I am saddened by her death. I am an Asante from Offinso and I will wear black till after the funeral”.
A 50 – year old phone dealer, Sly Adu, who said he had seen the queen mother once, described her as a mother of the kingdom and added that “I take it that it is my grandmother who has kicked the bucket and I will mourn her”.
A large number of mourners have been trooping to the palace since Thursday morning.
Others were seen in clusters sitting outside the palace. The men were in their Kuntunkuni (black cloth), while the ladies were spotted in their usual traditional mourning cloth of ‘brisie’ (black cloth) and others with both black and red cloth (Koben).
In fact, a sea of black clothes could be seen from a distance from the palace. Businesses have taken advantage of the situation and mounted their canopies to give out their products to mourners and simultaneously advertise such products in a strategy they call sampling.
Some radio and television stations have also mounted their masts and set up studios, with some expected to bring in their Outside Broadcasting Vans (OB).
The Kumasi Traditional Council has banned all funerals throughout the Ashanti kingdom after the until the one week observation is over. The late Asantehemaa was the 14th queen mother of the Asante Kingdom.
By Benjamin Aidoo
