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Rich African culture, tradition on display at Asantehemaa funeral rites
The rain began at precisely 4:25 p.m. on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, the second day of the funeral rites of the late Asantehemaa, Nana Konadu Yiadom III.
In most places, such a downpour might have sent mourners scurrying for shelter, umbrellas snapping open like protective wings. But this was Manhyia Palace in Kumasi, and this was no ordinary farewell.
As thousands stood steadfast in the rain, their traditional black ‘Kuntunkuri’ garments darkening with moisture, something magical was about to unfold.
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, seated regally in his palanquin and surrounded by loyal chiefs, was being carried across the funeral grounds to greet his people who had come to honour his late sister, Nana Konadu Yiadom III.
Then came the moment. The bearers stopped at a point. The drums spoke their ancient language. And in a gesture that perfectly captured the soul of a kingdom, the king of the Asante people appeared ‘possessed’ in the palanquin and danced—gracefully, purposefully, powerfully—in the rain.
The crowd erupted. Cheers thundered across the palace grounds, mixing with the rhythm of traditional drums and the percussion of raindrops on umbrellas and rooftops.
Nana Konadu Yiadom III was no ordinary royal. Born in 1927 at the sacred Benyaade Shrine at Merdan, Kwadaso, Nana Ama Konadu was the daughter of Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II, Asantehemaa from 1977 to 2016, and Opanin Kofi Fofie, a respected carpenter from Besease near Atimatim.
She lived for 98 remarkable years, serving as the 14th Asantehemaa—the Queenmother who stood not behind, but beside the king, wielding spiritual authority and political wisdom in equal measure. She ascended the stool on February 6, 2016.
On August 12, 2025, the Asantehene shared that the Queenmother had been remarkably active on the morning of her final day, attending to her duties with characteristic vigor before her sudden departure in the afternoon.
Her passing came just a day after the nation was plunged into mourning following a tragic military helicopter crash that claimed the lives of eight high-ranking government officials.
Her eight-year reign was marked by what those who knew her described as ‘quiet strength’ and ‘institutional wisdom.’
As elder sister to the Asantehene and guardian of the Oyoko lineage, she was far more than a ceremonial figure. The Asantehemaa nominates the next king, rules on disputes, and commands her own palace.
She is the keeper of matrilineal succession, the voice of ancestral guidance, and in times of crisis, even a war leader—as history remembers from Yaa Asantewaa’s legendary stand against British colonialism in 1900.
The late queenmother’s passing marked the end of a lineage stretching back to 1695, from Nana Nyarko Kusiamoa to the present day.
Some reigned for decades, like Nana Konadu Yiadom I (41 years) and Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II (39 years), while others, like Nana Yaa Dufie and Nana Ama Serwaa I, held the stool for shorter but no less impactful tenures.
Each Queenmother brought her own gifts—some as fierce protectors of tradition, others as reformers and mediators. Together, they form what one historian called “a tapestry of Ashanti womanhood that stretches across centuries.”
Business
But, even in mourning, life finds a way to celebrate culture. Across the Palace, sales of mourning cloths, (Kuntunkuri), amulets, ‘Ahenema’—the traditional royal slippers also known as ‘Kyawkyaw’—have skyrocketed during the funeral rites.
‘Kyawkyaw’ are not mere footwear; they are cultural artefacts dating back to the 18th century, each pair telling a story through its symbols and colours.
The black funeral slippers bear names that sound like poetry: ‘Anibere a nso gya,’ ‘sika wo ataban.’ Each design reflects not just fashion, but identity, status, and occasion.
During the funeral, chiefs and queenmothers could be seen carefully polishing their Ahenema, preparing to honour their departed matriarch in proper traditional style.
Traders told local media that while sales were always steady, the funeral has brought unprecedented demand. “Everyone wants to pay their respects properly,” explained one vendor.
The four-day funeral, running from September 14-18, has transformed Kumasi into a cultural epicentre drawing dignitaries from across Ghana and beyond.
To ensure dignified and orderly participation, the Palace designated specific days for various institutions and groups to pay their respects.
Monday, September 15, was reserved for churches and clergy, political parties, educational institutions, non-governmental organisations, telecommunication firms, corporate bodies, recognised associations, and the general public.
Tuesday, September 16, would welcome the Judiciary and Ghana Bar Association, security services, including the Ghana Armed Forces, Police, Fire Service, Prisons Service, Immigration, and Customs, alongside State-Owned Enterprises, public officers, financial institutions, and the general public.
Wednesday, September 17, was designated for Ministers of State, the Diplomatic Corps, Members of Parliament, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives, non-Asante chiefs, mining companies, and the general public.
Spiritualists and traditional groups from across Africa set the tone for day three of the funeral rites of the late Asantehemaa, with striking rituals and cultural displays.
Delegations from Benin and Togo amazed mourners with sacred performances featuring revered deities, offering a rare glimpse into their deep-rooted customs.
The people of Aflao also held the crowd spellbound with a dramatic ritual that saw flames rising from water in a vessel — a symbolic act that stirred awe and excitement among onlookers.
A mourner who witnessed, told The Spectator: “This is not something you see every day. It is a reminder of how African traditions, though varied, can come together under the influence of the Asante Kingdom.”
Speaking to The Spectator a cultural commentator at the event observed, “The Asantehemaa’s funeral is more than mourning. It has become a showcase of Africa’s cultural richness, demonstrating the power of tradition to unify people.”
Thursday, September 18, had the President, John Dramani Mahama, former Presidents and Vice Presidents, the Diplomatic Corps, and the general public.
Other Paramount Chiefs from beyond Ashanti such as Oguaamanhene Osaberima Kwesi Atta II, Paramount Chief of Sefwi-Anhwiaso, Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi III, The Ga Mantse, Paramount Chief of Aflao, Torgbi Amenya Fiti V, among others, were all not left out to mourn with the Asantehene.
As the sacred process of selecting the 15th Asantehemaa begins, with the Oyoko clan deliberating under ancestral guidance, one image will remain: their king, dancing in the rain, showing that true majesty is not about staying dry—it is about being present, authentic, and connected to your people, regardless of the weather.
From Kingsley E. Hope
News
Christians, Muslims kick against surrogacy …as medical experts calls for cultural, religious shift
The conversation around fertility in Ghana is shifting as The Walking Egg Medical and Fertility Centre makes headlines for its breakthrough surrogacy cases.
The Medical Director of the facility, Dr Nana Yaw Osei, is now calling for a cultural and religious shift in the narrative, asking religious leaders to see assisted reproduction not as a challenge to faith, but as a vital solution for childless couples seeking to build their families.
Surrogacy remains controversial in deeply religious societies, with assisted reproduction often viewed as interference with divine will.
However, Dr Osei, a practicing Christian, insists that faith and medicine are not opposed.
According to Dr Osei, advancement in reproductive medicine has made parenthood possible for many couples once considered hopeless, yet social and religious attitudes have been slow to change.
“Growing up, if a couple could not conceive, it was considered the end,” Dr Osei said in an interview with The Spectator, but added that, “today, science has changed that reality, but society and faith have not fully accepted it.”
“Medicine does not and cannot replace God,” he emphasised, citing that “It is an expression of the knowledge and wisdom God has given humanity. Compassion must guide how we treat people who are struggling with infertility.”
He noted that Ghana has taken steps to recognise surrogacy under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 2020 (Act 1027), which allows children born through assisted reproduction to be legally registered. While the law provides a basic framework, it does not fully address critical issues such as egg and sperm donation, embryo handling, or the distinction between traditional and gestational surrogacy.
“These gaps need attention to protect surrogates, intended parents and the children,” he mentioned.
Dr Osei said many women seeking surrogacy have lost their wombs through fibroids, cancer or childbirth complications and should not be further burdened by stigma.
“One of the most painful encounters in my career was with a woman who lost her uterus and felt God had abandoned her,” he said.
He called on churches and mosques to engage medical professionals and adopt a more informed approach to infertility.
“Surrogacy is not about convenience, it is about restoring hope and dignity to people who want a family,” Dr Osei stated.
However, sharing an Islamic perspective on surrogacy, Imam Alhaji Saeed Abdulai, an Islamic Scholar said the Islamic religion prioritises lineage, dignity and family stability, and in the process making surrogacy impermissible.
He explained that: “Surrogacy involves a woman carrying a child for another couple, a process which is unacceptable in Islam which makes lineage (nasab) and marital bounds very central.”
Quoting Qur’anic texts to support his claim, Imam Alhaji Saeed said the majority of scholars prohibit surrogacy because it mixes lineage and violates marital exclusivity (Fiqh Academies, OIC).
“The Prophet Mohammed said: “The child belongs to the (marital) bed” (Bukhari, Muslim), safeguarding clear parentage.
“So, for another woman to carry a pregnancy and eventually give birth for them clearly violates this clear instruction and admonition. This makes it impermissible,” he added.
Mentioning another Qur’anic text, he stated what Allah said in Qur’an 58:2: “Their mothers are only those who gave birth to them,” affirming biological motherhood.
What this clearly mean is that a couple can make the necessary efforts to have kids but as long as they resort to surrogacy, the surrogate mother would be recognised as the biological mother of the child and not the wife of the union.
According to him, Islam approaches reproduction as a sacred trust governed by divine guidance.
Procreation in Islamic law, he explained, was inseparably linked to lawful marriage, moral responsibility, and the preservation of lineage (ḥifẓ al-nasab), making surrogacy a critical ethical concern.
“The dominant and authoritative position among Islamic scholars is that surrogacy is prohibited (ḥarām), regardless of its form. This ruling has been affirmed by reputable international bodies such as the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (OIC) and Al-Azhar’s Council of Senior Scholars,” he explained.
The prohibition, he emphasised, rests on several foundational principles. “First, surrogacy introduces a third party into the reproductive process, violating the exclusivity of marriage. Second, it leads to confusion in lineage, which Islam strictly seeks to protect due to its implications for inheritance, guardianship, marriage eligibility, and social identity. Third, pregnancy itself establishes a form of motherhood in Islamic law, rendering any contractual reassignment of motherhood invalid (OIC Fiqh Resolution No. 16).
Thus, even gestational surrogacy, despite the absence of genetic linkage, remains impermissible.
Also contributing, a Resident Minister of the Ga West Model Presbyterian Church, Tetegu, Accra, Rev. Emmanuel A. Wiafe, says surrogacy conflicts with biblical teachings, Christian holiness and human dignity and should not be practiced by Christians.
According to him, although the Bible contains narratives often cited in support of surrogacy, such accounts were descriptive rather than instructional.
“The fact that the Bible mentions similar situations does not mean it approves of them,” he said.
Rev. Wiafe maintained that God’s design for procreation is rooted in marital intimacy between a man and a woman, describing childbearing as a divine gift, not a right to be claimed.
“Children are a gift to be received, not something to be demanded. Compassion must always be guided by holiness,” he stressed.
Addressing cases where women lose the ability to conceive through no fault of their own, Rev. Wiafe urged believers to place their trust in God rather than medical alternatives such as surrogacy, citing instances of unexpected childbirth as evidence of divine intervention.
He referenced the biblical account of Sarah, Abraham and Hagar, noting that although the arrangement produced a child, it also resulted in jealousy, conflict and emotional trauma.
“When humans try to play God, the consequences are often painful,” he mentioned.
Beyond theology, Rev. Wiafe raised ethical concerns, arguing that surrogacy risks commodifying the female body, which the Scripture describes as the temple of the Holy Spirit.
While acknowledging that medical knowledge was a gift from God, he cautioned that not every scientific capability aligns with holiness.
“We may have the right to do many things, but not everything pleases God,” he added.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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Lieutenant Colonel Jacqueline Dela Galley has become the first woman to command the Ghana Military Police Unit, marking a milestone in the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).
Lt. Col. Galley said her appointment, announced at the beginning of the year, came as a surprise.
“I was very happy. I was very excited because I was not really expecting it,” she said in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, describing it as “a very nice New Year package.”
She said her family was equally delighted, particularly as the appointment coincided with her recent completion of a Master of Philosophy degree in Human Rights, Conflict and Peace Studies.
Lt. Col. Galley said her rise reflected years of deliberate gender mainstreaming within the GAF, supported by international frameworks and initiatives aimed at expanding opportunities for women in uniform.
She said her journey into the military was unplanned, explaining that her interest was sparked while studying at the University of Ghana, Legon.
“I did not really know anything about the military, but I was privileged to be in the same class with some service persons. I liked the way they carried themselves. They were more disciplined… very focused, and that motivated me,” she said.
She said she applied after national service, completed the required training and was commissioned into the Ghana Armed Forces on September 7, 2008.
Lt. Col. Galley said she became the first female officer to be posted directly to the Military Police Unit from the academy, a decision facilitated by the then Commanding Officer of the Ghana Military Academy, Brigadier General Ishmael Ben Quartey.
“I told him later that he made the history,” she said. “His decision 19 years ago is manifesting today.”
Lt. Col. Galley said her early years in the Military Police involved administrative duties and investigations, including serving as a provost officer with the United Nations Mission in Côte d’Ivoire and commanding detachments across the country.
“Every course I went to shaped me. My principle is to come up with something. I don’t just go and sit there,” she said.
Lt. Col. Galley said she had balanced her career with family life and is married to Colonel Dominic Buah, with whom she has four sons.
“It didn’t disturb my work,” she said. “If you are supposed to produce something by 10 o’clock, it should be there.”
She said her husband’s understanding of military life had been critical to managing her responsibilities.
“He understands the system. He knows I must be there,” she said.
Lt. Col. Galley rejected suggestions of tokenism, saying female officers who rose to leadership positions did so on merit.
“Women who get to the top merit it. They are qualified. They are experienced. Command has confidence in them,” she said.
Lt. Col. Galley said gender mainstreaming had allowed women to demonstrate their capabilities.
“When women were allowed to come out of their shells, they start doing wonders,” she said.
Lt. Col. Galley advised young female officers to remain focused and committed to their oath of service.
“It was not a joke when you were taking that oath… That is why me, if you say, go here, I’m going,” she said.
On her priorities as Commander of the Military Police, Lt. Col. Galley said her focus would be on discipline within the Armed Forces.
“My immediate priority will be tailored towards my role. And that is enforcing discipline in the Ghana Armed Forces,” she said.
Lt. Col. Galley said all military deployments included briefings on human rights and rules of engagement, adding that violations were treated as individual misconduct.
“Anyone who goes contrary to that is dealt with,” she said.
Lt. Col. Galley said enforcing discipline could be unpopular but was necessary.
“If you are meticulously enforcing the law, you won’t have friends. Some people will call you wicked. But once you know you’ve done the right thing, you shouldn’t be bothered,” she said.
Lt. Col. Galley said relations with other security agencies remained cordial and cooperative.
“We are all doing the same thing – ensuring the security of the state,” she said.
Reflecting on her appointment, Lt. Col. Galley said it reinforced the importance of integrity.
“This appointment has made me realise that whatever you do, you are being watched. It’s good to do the right thing, even when nobody is watching,” she said.
Lt. Col. Galley encouraged young Ghanaians to pursue their ambitions but remain resilient.
“Pursue your dream… But if you don’t get the opportunity, it doesn’t mean you are not good,” she said. -GNA
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