By: Kenneth Appiah Bani
Kumasi is awash in colour, song, and sorrow. At the Manhyia Palace grounds, thousands have gathered to bid a final farewell to the beloved queen mother of Asanteman, Nana Konadu Yiadom III, whose passing in August has left a deep void in the Ashanti Kingdom.
The Doteyie burial rites are more than a ceremony; they are a living tapestry of memory, grief, and heritage. For four days, the palace has echoed with the sounds of traditional drums, dirges, and dance, a celebration not only of a queen mother’s life but of the cultural heartbeat she helped preserve.
At the centre of it all stands His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, robed in the sacred Sedes Ntoma and crowned with the quills of the porcupine. As Chief Mourner, his presence carries both the sorrow of a son and the strength of a king. His cloth, adorned with the Adinkra symbols Mmere Dane (Time changes) and Gye Nyame (Except God), tells a silent sermon: that time heals, and that even in the valley of grief, God’s sovereignty remains unshaken.
Though he spoke no words, the King’s stillness preached hope. His regalia reminded all present that grief visits, but it does not reign forever; pain weighs the heart, yet God restores and uplifts. Even in mourning, light still flickers, a reminder that sorrow, too, shall pass.
On the third day of the rites, grief became a unifying force. Across Ghana, kingdoms and communities sent delegations to stand with the Asantehene. Traditional rulers from Mamprugu, Dagbon, Okyeman, and Ga State journeyed to Kumasi to bow in respect. The Asante Queenmothers, led by the Mampong Hemaa, came forward as sisters and custodians of tradition, sharing in the loss.
It was not only chiefs and royals. From Parliament came a delegation of Honourable Members, led by the Deputy Speaker. From the political arena, the New Patriotic Party, headed by Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako (Chairman Wontumi), paid homage. From the corporate world, Newmont Ghana extended its condolences.
Each gesture, whether from palace, parliament, or boardroom. was a thread woven into a larger fabric of solidarity. The message was clear: in grief, Asanteman does not stand alone.
As the final day approached, the weight of tradition was underscored by a stern voice. In a widely shared video, the Otumfuo’s Chief Executioner (Manhyia Brafoo) issued a strict warning:
“If you claim to be a man, step out on Thursday today and we will show you where power lies and make you know your smoothness level.”
With those words, he reinforced a curfew for Thursday, September 18, 2025, the night of the Asantehemaa’s burial. His tone was unyielding:
“We are not joking. We’re not bragging. It is an order. On Thursday, stay indoors. If you say you are a man, get out and let us see.”
The warning carried more than threat; it carried weight. It was a reminder of the sacredness of the rites, the seriousness of tradition, and the reverence owed to a queen mother whose life was entwined with the very soul of Asanteman.
In the end, what resounded most was not fear but faith. In Kumasi, amid the sea of black and red, sorrow met resilience. Tradition met faith. And grief gave way to hope.
For the people of Asanteman and for every soul that has ever stood at the crossroads of loss the message endures: time changes all things, but Onyame remains the eternal anchor.
