Correspondence from Ashanti Region

Preparations are underway at Manhyia Palace for the one-week observation of Nana Konadu Yiadom III, the late Queen Mother of Asanteman. Her passing marks a significant loss in Ashanti history.

A visit to Manhyia Palace revealed a hive of activity as workers, artisans, and volunteers diligently completed the final preparations for the solemn event. The tall shade trees lining the Palace walls have been draped in red and black fabric, the traditional colours of mourning in Ashanti culture, symbolizing the profound loss felt throughout the kingdom.

The one-week observation, scheduled for Thursday, August 21, 2025, will take place at the forecourt of Manhyia Palace. The ceremony is expected to attract a diverse array of mourners, including traditional leaders, politicians, business executives, and diplomats from Ghana and abroad.

High-ranking chiefs and royals from across the Ashanti Region will gather alongside guests from other parts of Ghana and the diaspora to pay their respects to the late queen mother and express solidarity with His Royal Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

Nana Konadu Yiadom III, who served as Queen Mother for eight years, is remembered not only for her royal dignity but also for her warmth, humility, and wisdom. Throughout her reign, she was revered as a mother figure and a unifying force who worked tirelessly to ensure peace and harmony within Asanteman. Palace sources recall her wise counsel to the Asantehene on critical matters affecting the kingdom, as well as her discreet yet impactful role in mediating disputes within the traditional area.

“She was the glue that kept us together,” one elder at Manhyia remarked with visible emotion. “Her love for her people and her commitment to unity will never be forgotten.”

In Ashanti tradition, the one-week observation holds deep significance, serving not only as a formal marker of time but also as a communal expression of grief, solidarity, and respect. The event provides an opportunity for the entire kingdom, as well as well-wishers from around the world, to come together, mourn, and celebrate the life and legacy of the departed leader.

The passing of Nana Konadu Yiadom III has enveloped the Palace in deep mourning. The streets surrounding the Palace are adorned with black and red fabrics, mirroring the collective sense of loss felt throughout Kumasi. For many, the Queen Mother’s death is a deeply personal loss, resonating in homes, marketplaces, and gatherings across the region.

As the day of the observation approaches, all eyes will turn to Manhyia Palace, where the people of Ashanti will unite once again—this time not in celebration, but in a shared moment of farewell to the woman who, in many ways, embodied the heart of Asanteman.