Meet Nana Yaa Akyaa II, 15th Asantehemaa of Asante Kingdom

​For nearly a year, one of the most revered stools in the Asante Kingdom remained vacant, leaving a quiet but unmistakable sense of expectation hanging over the Manhyia Palace.

Every sitting of Asanteman Council, every major traditional ceremony, and every conversation within royal circles carried the same lingering question: Who would become the next Asantehemaa?

Last Monday, that long wait finally gave way to certainty and historic celebration.

In a development warmly received across the length and breadth of the Asante Kingdom, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, formally accepted the nomination and welcomed the newly enstooled Asantehemaa in a grand ceremony steeped in age-old tradition at the Manhyia Palace.

Born Margaret Serebour, the 79-year-old retired educationist has ascended the revered Kusiamoah Stool. She has been enstooled under the stool name Nana Yaa Akyaa II, officially becoming the 15th Asantehemaa in the rich history of the Asante Kingdom.

The historic enstoolment marks the end of months of quiet consultations and meticulous traditional processes following the passing of Nana Ama Konadu Yiadom III in August 2025.

Since her demise, the prestigious office of Asantehemaa—one of the highest traditional institutions in Ghana—had remained vacant, with Asanteman patiently awaiting the customary selection of a worthy successor.

Nana Yaa Akyaa II brings an impeccable and deeply historic royal pedigree to the stool.

She is a direct granddaughter of Otumfuo Agyeman Prempeh I, the legendary Asante monarch who, alongside Nana Yaa Asantewaa, was exiled to the Seychelles islands by the British after the Anglo-Asante War.

Furthermore, she is a niece of Otumfuo Sir Osei Agyeman Prempeh II and a biological sister of the late Nana Akwasi Agyemang, the prominent, long-serving former Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly.

A devout Christian, the new Queen mother is also a well-known, dedicated worshipper at the Anglican Church in AshTown, Kumasi.

Palace sources describe Nana Yaa Akyaa II as a woman widely admired within the Royal family for her humility, patience, calm disposition, and unique ability to unite people.

These qualities are regarded as essential for the occupant of an office that seamlessly blends moral authority, cultural stewardship, and traditional leadership.

An opinion leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, noted that Manhyia is once again witnessing a moment of profound historical and cultural significance—one that closes a chapter of waiting and opens a vibrant new page in the centuries-old story of the Asante Kingdom.

Within the constitutional and cultural framework of the Asante Kingdom, the Asantehemaa occupies a position second only to the Asantehene.

She serves as the ultimate custodian of the royal matrilineal lineage and bears the singular responsibility of nominating a successor to the Golden Stool whenever the throne becomes vacant.

Beyond her critical role in succession, she operates as a trusted co-ruler and adviser to the Asantehene, acts as the ultimate leader of women in Asanteman, and serves as a vital arbiter in family and customary disputes.

With her formal customary rites completed on Thursday, July 9, and her acceptance by the Asantehene finalised, Nana Yaa Akyaa II begins her historic reign, anchoring the ancient traditions of Asanteman into a modern era.

The development also paves the way for the preparation of the final funeral rites of the late Nana Yaa Konadu Yiadom III, as ‘Dote Yie’ had already been observed.

From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi