“All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays
many parts”. – As You Like It, William Shakespeare
IT WAS ALL BLACK – Kuntunkuni cloth and black Ahenema footwear – The message was terse (very few words: Nana, due; Nana, yaako). It was as if time had stopped. The eyes were red; the dirges were sonorous; the lamentations elegiac, and the atmosphere, memorably funereal and somber.
The songs depicted more the Asante traditional funeral: “Nyankonton ko nyaa”; “Maame, w’adaka na yeretwe no nyaa”.
“Kyenkyen bi adi m’awu”. The Christian “Abide with me” “Guide me o
thou great Yehovah” and “Halleluia Chorus” could wait – and that was
Thursday (Yawoada – a day of pain) 21/08/25.
Roads close to the Manhyia Palace had been closed to traffic except for
those vehicles carrying top people or call them prominent citizens. We left
our vehicles at the Court of Appeal premises Kumasi and boarded a VIP
bus: there was a Police escort for those of us who had something to do with
law – the judges, the lawyers and the judicial staff. Sir Dennis Adjei, a
Justice of the Supreme Court was in charge representing Justice Paul
Baffoe-Bonnie, the Acting C. J. Strict protocol – no hanky panky. O-r-d-e-
r: “Behold to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of
rams” (1 Samuel 15:22).
At around 1.00 pm, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II accompanied by some of the
Amanhene, the palace chiefs, the Akyeamehene, Abrafoɔ, arrived at
Bogyawe where Otumfuo sat in state: he wore a black cloth and a black
headgear. The mourners had already taken their seats, and got entertained
by the cultural performances, the kete, adowa and nwomkro drummers and
singers. The fetish priests could be clearly seen displaying … The musketry symbolized the readiness of the mourners to defend the Asantehemaa, but for natural death.
Among the personalities who went to shake the golden hands of Otumfuo were Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang the Vice-President accompanied by Julius Debrah, the Chief of Staff, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, the NDC Chairman, Ahmed Ibrahim, Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs and Dr. Frank Amoakohene, the Ashanti Regional Minister.
Many of the NPP Presidential candidates were there; Kennedy Agyapong, Adutwum, Kwabena Agyapong.
As expected, John Agyekum Kufuor, the former President of Ghana as well
as Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, also former President of Ghana had
taken their seats.
Also present were Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, ex Vice-President and his wife, Samira and Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, NPP’s
2024 Vice-Presidential candidate and, of course, Hon. Addo Kufuor, ex-Minister of Defence. Adding to the tall list of top personalities were some present and former Ministers and MPs. The IGP, Christian Tetteh Yohuno arrived on the funeral grounds with 15 top Police Officers. There were as well the diplomatic corps; Christian Rogg, the British High Commissioner and Stefano RamellaPezza, the Italian Vice Honorary Counsel.
Businessman Kwame Despite leading the East Legon Big Men and Entertainer Lil Win were also present. All paramountcies were represented (by the Amanhene) just as companies and government establishments.
All persons present offered “boa-mu-adee” monetary donations which were
received by the Standard Chartered Bank (Traditionally, gifts or donations of money to Otumfuo are not declared to the public, but this was different for accountability sake).
We say kudos for the tight security by the National Security, Military, Police, Prisons, Fire Service, Immigration and Customs, together with private security outfits.
It was a good job well done by the various security outfits. They ensured that everything went orderly, and, no wonder, in the evening of that Thursday, some of us gathered at Patasi Brotherman’s Pub
to give Inspector Awayi of the Visibility Unit of the Kumasi Police and his band some bottles of water … for the professional way they handled their assignment.
The announcement for the doteyie (burial) of the Asantehemaa was made: Lying in state on Sunday, 14th September, 2025: the body of the Asantehemaa would lie in state that day: Filing past on Monday 15th
September; on Tuesday 16th September, mourners will be permitted to file
past the body; on Wednesday, 17th September. Asantehene will sit in state
and receive dignitaries and delegations; on Thursday 18th September (1.00pm)
a burial service would be held at the Manhyia Palace. It will be non-
denominational (Anglican, Catholic, Baptist, Salvation Army, Saviour Church…): we will see James Osman Adjei in his role as Acting President.
Meanwhile, a ban has been placed on all funerals from 1st September until after the burial on 18th September. People in Kumasi are enjoined to observe the days with due grace and respect.
Nana Konadu Yiadom III was such a peaceful and benevolent woman – a
woman from whose breasts we have all sucked. Until death, she remained
a great confidante of Opemsuo. The 98- year old Nana Konadu Yiadom III reigned for eight years from 2017 till she died on Thursday 7th August, 2025. She wore the sandals of her mother, Nana Afua Kobi Serwaa Ampem II who went to the village on 15th November, 2016, aged 111 after holding the mantle of Asantehemaa for 39 years.
She hardly went out, and she had a council whose secretary was Bomsohemaa. She shared a common appellation with one of the women-in-council, and whenever there was a knotty question, the woman would
shout: “w’ataaso” and the problem would get solved.
Family cases referred to Opemsuo would in turn be referred to the Asantehemaa who had fixed dates for settling matters referred to her. It is remarkable that personalities
like Adumhene, Mamensenhene, Kenyasehemaa and Esresohemaa were
almost always around, to lend their support: she was always an intermediary for erring chief who had a case before Opemsuo – and her advice to Opemsuo, her younger brother, always carried weight.
In The Tempest (Act iv Sc1) Prospero: says “Our revels now are ended – These our actors, As I foretold you, were all spirits, and Are melted into thin air, into thin air, And, like the baseless fabric of this vision … leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff As dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded in sleep”. – the ephemeral nature of life.
Well was it said by Calpurnia in Julius Caesar’s “When beggars die, there are no comets seen; the heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes” there is a proverb in Twi which says; “Aboa a oso na ne honam so”: Yes Nana Asantehemaa deserves a “fitting” funeral, and the one-week
observance has given a fair notice of what is to follow.
