Traditional rulers of the Asante kingdom initiated the final funeral rites for the departed Asantehemaa Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem at the Manhyia palace in Kumasi on Monday.
Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II, who is the mother of the Ashanti King, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, passed away at the age of 111 in November 2016.
Ghana’s newly elected President Nana Akufo-Addo, Kofi Annan and Ghana’s former President John Mahama were among the Public figures, celebrities and politicians that attended the Queen mother’s funeral which is also a one-week celebration of the late Queen mother amid tight military and police security.
Paid my last respect to the late Asantehemaa today & commiserated with my brother & friend, the Asantehene. May her soul rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/wUsFmX6kAh
— John Dramani Mahama (@JDMahama) January 18, 2017
Throngs of people turned up for the burial rites for the late Queen mother of Asante, at least 400 people are said to have collapsed at the funeral grounds due to shock from the gunshots being fired and others dehydrated after standing in the sun for a long time.
Red and black decorations were everywhere and mourners were also donned in the colours, which signify mourning.
Traditional leaders warned the public and residents of Kumasi city, home to the Queen’s palace, to stay indoors between the hours of 8pm and 4am on Thursday, January, 19 to allow them to carry out the burial. All businesses were also instructed to close for the day.
The Queen mother was enthroned in 1977 as the 13th queen mother of the Asante Kingdom. The remains of the late Queen mother were buried on Thursday night at the Breman Toyal Mausoleum.
The late Asantehema will be remembered as one of the finest and successful Queen mothers of Asanteman.
