Thousands of bereaved people streamed into Manhyia Palace in the Ashante Region yesterday to say their final farewells to the late Asantehemaa, Nana Konadu Yiadom III, as Asanteman holds four days of mourning burial rites for its revered 98-year-old queen mother.
The body of the Asantehemaa has been lying in state at the palace since yesterday morning, while members of the public have been invited to bid their final farewell in a ceremony that was full of austere Ashanti tradition and custom.
Following these ceremonies, she is to be buried on Thursday evening at the Breman Royal Mausoleum (Ban mu).
The funeral cortège will stop at the Bantama Royal Mausoleum, where there will be ritual rituals, before proceeding to the site of final interment.
The climax of the funeral rites will be preceded by the climax of the burial rites, which will be held a year later after the Asantehene has made an official declaration of a successor for the late queen mother.
A two-hour funeral service will be followed by burial at Dwabrem of the Manhyia Palace.
Filing past
Filing past between yesterday and tomorrow begins at 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. while Otumfuo Osei Tutu is in state between the same duration of 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Addressing the media on September 12, Funeral Planning Committee Chairman Nana Effah-Apenteng stated that all Paramount Chiefs will be represented when Otumfuo is being seated in state throughout the rites.
On Thursday, the filing past process will go on from 5 a.m. to 11 a.m., followed by the burial service subsequently at 3 p.m. at Dwabrem at the Manhyia Palace.
All mourners and visitors willing to pass through the queen mother are expected to exhibit dignity and respect as dictated by Ashanti tradition. Women are, therefore, not allowed to wear headpieces and jewelry.
Yesterday, institutions and individuals such as churches, political parties, learning institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), corporate institutions, all recognized institutions, clergy and members of the public lined up to pay tribute to the event.
It will be the turn of the Judiciary, the Ghana Bar Association, the security agencies, state institutions, public servants, financial institutions, the public, and today.
Wednesday
But tomorrow shall be devoted to ministers of state, diplomatic missions, Members of Parliament (MPs), Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), non-Ashanti chiefs, mining companies, companies, and the public.
Climax
Thursday, the final day of the rites, will be graced by President John Dramani Mahama and Vice-President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, ex-Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and ex-Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and his wife, Samira Bawumia.
Also in attendance will be officials from the diplomatic community and the public.
As is customary, the rites will be punctuated with drumming, dancing and musketry.
Other forms of drumming, such as atumpan, kete and fontomfrom, will play accompaniment to the tunes to facilitate the traditional dancing by the mourners as the Asantehene takes condolences from the dignitaries and other mourners.
Closure of schools, offices
In line with the funeral traditions of the Asantehemaa, all schools within the Kumasi metropolis are likely to be closed on Thursday, September 18, 2025, just as all offices, banks and other financial institutions.
Similarly, there will be no commerce in Kumasi because all the stores will be shut.
Moment of silence
On Thursday evening, to be exact, all residents of Asanteman must remain indoors throughout the period the Asantehemaa is being interred in the royal mausoleum at Breman in Kumasi.
As Asantehene has ordered, Asanteman, especially the capital, Kumasi, will be as quiet as death in accordance with Asante tradition and conventions.
The interment will mark the end of four-day 'Dote Yie' (funeral rites) of the 14th Asantehemaa, who passed on at 98.
