Kumasi Starts 2 Weeks Funeral for Mother of Nana Otumfuo

Ashanti’s rich culture, tradition and heritage would be on full parade for two weeks, starting today, Friday December 1 2017, as part of a series of activities to mark the grand royal funeral of the late Asantehemaa, Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II, mother of the occupant of the Golden Stool, Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

The 2-week funeral is expected to be attended by Asanteman with all its chiefs and traditional leaders in their full royal regalia, chiefs and traditional leaders from the other regions of the country, leading members of the clergy fraternity, government officials and political leaders, heads of corporate institutions and members of the diplomatic corps as well as tens of thousands of persons from all walks of life.

All roads in the country would be leading to the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi, capital of the Ashanti region, where the funeral of the departed Asante Queen would take place for the next 14 days.

Nana Otumfuo

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, last born of the departed Queen, will definitely be a busy man during the next two weeks.

By the funeral arrangements, Otumfuo would be sitting-in-state, virtually, at all the durbars that would be held at the palace during the duration of the funeral.

The Asante Monarch would be receiving well-wishes and condolence messages from mourners that would troop to Kumasi from across the globe.

Kumasi Goes Black

Even before the grand funeral officially gets underway on Friday morning, the entire Kumasi city had been nicely decorated with red and black cloth.

Historic statues, electric poles and trees at some vantage parts of the city had been decorated with red and black cloth.

The decoration of the boisterous city with the red and black cloth is to send a message to the world that Asanteman is mourning.

Traders Cleared

The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has also moved traders that were trading in the streets, which caused congestion in the city center, away.

The Manhyia Palace to Pampaso busy road, which was hitherto covered by a sea of traders, has also been decongested and also put in the right shape.

Magical Display

The grand funeral of the Asante Queen will officially kick-start with traditional priests performing wonders and supernatural displays at the Manhyia Palace on Friday.

Virtually, all the dreaded traditional priests in the country, would storm the forecourt of the Manhyia Palace to showcase their supernatural powers.

Palace sources hinted that the fetish priests’ display is meant to douse powers of people with bad intentions about the funeral so the event would be a success.

Expected Guests

The big funeral will definitely attract scores of top dignitaries within the country and outside to the Manhyia Palace to mourn with Asanteman.

Top-notch dignitaries like President Akufo-Addo, ex-Presidents Rawlings, Kufuor, Mahama and Vice President, Dr. Bawumia, would all be there.

Foreign dignitaries, scores of powerful traditional leaders from Ghana and the African continent, business moguls and the clergy, would also be present.

Funeral High Points

Some of the high points of the funeral will be when the Asantehene will fire a gunshot in a deep bush behind the Manhyia Palace.

All the Paramount Chiefs in Asanteman, whose number exceeds 60, would also be firing similar gunshots, to serve some traditional purpose.

Lady Julia, wife of the Asantehene, would also be consoling Otumfuo by presenting a special gold chain to him during a colourful durbar.

Another high point of the funeral is when a curfew would be placed in Kumasi and its adjoining areas on the night of Saturday, December 9, 2017.

The Asantehene and the Asantehemaa, Nana Ama Konadu, would be sending the ‘Abusua Kuruwa’ to Breman on that night, hence the strict curfew.

Late Asantehemaa

Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II, gave up the ghost at the ripe age of 111 after succumbing to a short illness in late 2016.

The departed Queen, who was widely described as peaceful and development-oriented person, reigned as Asantehemaa for 39 years.

She was widely credited for being the pillar and advisor behind Otumfuo, which has made the reigning Asantehene’s administration successful, so far.

Significantly, the sitting Asantehene and Asantehemaa, are biological children of the departed Asantehemaa, who was buried some months ago.

Source: Afua Sarpong Amankwa/ thePublisher