Queenmother In Mortuary For 6 years

— Plans underway for her final rest

THE 76-year-old queenmother of Tafo in Kumasi, Nana Adwoa Konadu Yiadom 11, who died in April, 1995, but has since been kept at the mortuary because of chieftaincy dispute can now find a final resting place at the Tafo Royal Mausoleum.

This follows the successful settlement of the 13-year-old dispute and the nomination of Dr James Frimpong, as the new chief for the Tafo Stool, which is the Benkum Division of the Kumasi Traditional Area.

Dr James Frimpong was introduced to the people of Tafo on Monday. The new chief would soon swear the oath of allegiance to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to complete his installation process and pave the way for the burial and funeral rites of the late queenmother.

The embattled Nana Ponko Baffour, who was the chief of Tafo, abdicated early this year in the interest of peace.

Before her death in April, 1995, Nana Adwoa Konadu Yiadom 11, then queenmother of Tafo, acted in concert with a section of the Agona Royal Family, to challenge the nomination, election and enstoolment of Nana Ponko Baffour, who replaced Nana Kwadwo Boadu, who died 15 years ago.

According to sources at the Tafo Palace, Nana Konadu Yiadom, actively supported by Opanin Kwaku Bour, head of the royal family and others, brought action before the Kumasi Traditional Council, to set aside the enstoolment of Nana Ponko Baffour.

Nana Yiadom pursued the matter at the Ashanti Region House of Chiefs, the Judicial Tribunal of the National House of Chiefs, a high court and finally then Supreme Court.

Though the Supreme Court judgement of June 2, 1994, favoured Nana Ponko Baffour, a section of the elders of the Tafo Stool still refused to recognise him as chief of Tafo.

Customarily, when a queenmother dies, it is the duty of a surviving counterpart chief to ensure her burial and funeral rites but because the late queenmother did not recognise Nana Ponko Baffour, he was not able to perform his traditional role of supervising her funeral.

Since he swore the oath of allegiance to the late Asantehene, Otumfuo Opoku Ware II in Kumasi, on June 27, 1988, Nana Ponko Baffour had not been able to set foot at Tafo in his official capacity as Tafohene.

His first attempt on September 2, 1988, created confusion resulting in the death of two people.

Apparently unhappy about developments at Tafo, a section of the elders nominated, elected and installed Dr James Frimpong in January 1995, as the new chief with the stool name Nana Agyen Frimpong 11.

Otumfuo Opoku Ware who was also concerned about the unfortunate situation made efforts to resolve the matter amicably but his efforts did not yield the expected result before he passed away.

After the installation of Otumfuo Osei Tutu, Nana Ponko Bafour decided to abdicate in the interest of peace.

It was the declaration of this ceasefire by Nana Bafour which paved the way for Dr Frimpong to be nominated and endorsed by the kingmakers as the new chief of Tafo.