On November 8, 2025, 10-year-old Spendilove Asare was sweeping her compound in Awukugua, a historic town in the Okere District of the Eastern Region, the birthplace of the legendary Okomfo Anokye
Minutes later, her life changed forever.
The sound of musketry cut through the air. Chanting followed. The Asafo Company, the traditional warriors arrived with elders, her family members and kingmakers.
They had come for her.
In that moment, Spendilove was no longer just a child. The gods, the ancestors, and her people had marked her to lead.
She is now Nana Afua Kumiwaa I, the Abontedom Ankobeahemaa of Awukugua.
Marked with the sacred white clay known as “hyire” , the new queen, who hails from the lineage of the legendary Okomfo Anokye was carried shoulder-high through the principal streets of Awukugua.
It was a public declaration.
The procession stopped at each of the town’s seven clans, Ayade, Ahempede, Enyaakode, Abobode, Atetemantre, and Ayemede.
At every stop, libation was poured.
The spirits of the Brono were called to bear witness.
” I was given a lightly roasted sheep’s heart to eat,” she said.
In tradition, it signifies humility, truthfulness, and honesty, the values with which she must serve.
Then came the most sacred moment. She grasped the afena, the state sword, and swore an oath to the Abontendomhene and to her people.
After the rites, she received pleasantries from the chiefs and elders, from assembly members and from her classmates
Explaining the decision to enstool a child, Kumankum Sereko Ayerakwa II, the Abontendomhene of Awukugua Akwapim, noted that the choice was divine.
“We prayed for several days, and then the ancestors also pushed her to us. So, people thought she was young. I said, Okay, the reason why there are so many litigations around in Ghana is that when it’s time for somebody to reign or be on the stool, they will say, ‘Oh, she is young’ or ‘He is young,’ so let somebody do it until certain times.” And then by that time, there will be problem. So, since it falls on her, she is supposed to do it. And so, her the family also accepted.”
Being a queen mother has not taken her out of the classroom; Nana Afua Kumiwaa I is a pupil at Great Future International School in Awukugua
Reflecting on the moment she was presented to her people, she admitted, “I was a little bit nervous, but I gathered some courage in the moment. Since I have the opportunity to move with the elders, I will always try to convey the children’s and girls’ needs to them for support.”
Despite her royal status, she remains incredibly grounded. When she isn’t in school or performing official duties, she helps her busy parents and spends time with her grandfather who is the Abontendomhene.
When asked which prominent figure she would invite to Awukugua, she did not hesitate: “Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene. He is very brave, champions education, and is generous. He also likes the people of Awukugua.”
The 10-year-old queen harbours profound hopes for the nation, urging political maturity at the highest levels. She envisions a “better Ghana, where parliament can unite and think about the nation, rather than always fighting among themselves and making children believe that fighting is a good thing.”
As a young leader, she has already adopted a crucial lesson about governance. “Leaders must always look for solutions and a way forward, because too much complaining is a death trap.” she asserted, adding a simple but powerful piece of advice for everyone: “Listen more than you talk.”
When asked what her favorite subject in school is, she said “It’s not my favorite subject that is going to make me a better leader in the future, but humility and following in the footsteps of already good leaders.”
she aspires to combine her traditional leadership with a career in law. “I want to be a judge,” she declared. “Because of fairness, justice, and transparency.”
Between lessons, she continues to perform her royal duties. She walks the markets to the cheers of her people. She rallies them for communal labor. She has even met national leaders, including Ghana’s Vice President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang.
Her story is not just about a girl who became a queen. It is about a community that still believes the ancestors speak, and that true leadership is about service, not age.
Indeed, The Girl Queen’s reign has only just begun.
By Portia Gabor
