Asanteman bids final Adieu to Asantehemaa on Thursday

By Elizabeth Kankam-Boadu, GNA
Kumasi, January 18, GNA - Kumasi, the seat of the Asante Royalty and the capital of Ashanti Region, will stand quiet and still from nighttime of the Thursday, the 19th to the dawn of the next day (Friday), as a sign of respect and obeisance when the mortal remains of Nana Afia Serwaa Kobi Ampem 11, would be conveyed to the Breman Royal Mausoleum for internment.

The mortal remains of the 111, year old Queen, the 13th in the succession Asante Queens and the biological mother of Otumfuo Osei-Tutu 11, the Asantehene, who reigned for 39 years, had been laid in state for the past three days for public viewing.

The royal palace, has been the venue for Thousands of mourners and sympathisers including Nana Addo-Dankwa Akuffo-Addo, the President of Ghana, Mr. John Agyekum Kuffour, former President of Ghana, Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria and other local as well as foreign dignitaries, who flocked the palace to pay last respect and commiserate with the bereaved King.

Mr Kofi Annan, the Chief justice Theodora Wood, Togbe Afede XIV, Agbogbomefia of Asogli and the president of the national house of Chiefs and other members of the Diplomatic Corps, are others among the distinguished lot.

The Asantehene has since sat in state to receive homage as the mourners streamed in to also give donations.

Nana Afua Serwaa Kobi-Ampem, has been widely described as the mother of all and more than six hundred females have been named after her.

The programme released by Manhyia for Thursday, the climax of the four-day burial rites observation of the late Asantehemaa, says the body would be conveyed from the Manhyia Palace to the Saint Cyprian's Anglican Church, where a requiem Mass would be held.

The mortal remains of the late Queen would then be carried to the Bantama Royal Mausoleum, for an elaborate wreath-laying ceremony and in the eerie quiet of night time, the final internment will follow at the final royal burial site at Breman.

The funeral committee has emphasized that there would be no human sacrifices, but has asked Kumasi residents to remain in-doors within that period so as not to fall victims to miscreants who may want to take advantage to carry out any mischievous activities.

As part of the arrangements, certain public places including the Kumasi Central Market, the Bantama Satelite market, the Central Business District of Adum, the hub of brisk business activities, as well as other areas like Asawasi, Akwatialine, would all not open for business.

However, schools and other places providing essential services like hospital and the electricity company of Ghana (ECG), would not close on the said Thursday.

Meanwhile, Manhyia has been the scene for superlative cultural displays portraying the beauty of Asante royal burial rites and how the regal clan demonstrate their moments of extreme grief.

Executioners, fetish priests and other dancers danced to traditional drumming and music, to both the stunning admiration of the crowd of mourners all clad in black and red.

GNA