​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

The Member of Parliament for Damongo and former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has called for stronger environmental legislation to enable African countries to fully benefit from nature-based solutions while building climate resilience, creating jobs and promoting sustainable economic growth.

He said although several African countries, including Ghana, had made significant progress in developing policies to protect the environment and promote carbon markets, stronger legal backing was needed to ensure their long-term implementation and attract greater investment.

Mr. Jinapor made the call during a panel discussion at a public lecture organised by the Research and Innovation Directorate (RID) of the University of Ghana and the Africa Centre for Nature-Based Climate Action (AC4NCA) to commemorate the 2026 Day of Scientific Renaissance of Africa (DSRA) at the Cedi Conference Centre of the university on Tuesday.

Speaking on the theme, “Africa at a Crossroads: Can Nature-Based Solutions Deliver Climate Resilience, Jobs, Equity and Justice?”, Mr. Jinapor stressed that research should not remain in academic journals but must influence public policy and national development.

He said research should also be linked to business and financing so that scientific discoveries could be transformed into practical solutions that improved livelihoods and generated economic value.

According to him, governments across Africa must demonstrate political commitment by establishing policies and regulatory systems that would enable their countries to benefit from the growing global market for nature-based solutions.

Mr. Jinapor said Ghana had already taken important steps by developing a national framework for carbon trading, creating opportunities for communities to benefit financially from environmental conservation.

He disclosed that the country had successfully distributed about five million dollars through a benefit-sharing arrangement under its carbon market programme to support local communities and researchers.

The former Lands and Natural Resources Minister also highlighted Ghana’s achievements in responsible forest management, noting that the country was among the first in the world, alongside Indonesia, to issue Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) licences for legally sourced timber exported to international markets.

He said successive governments had continued to strengthen environmental policies and expand certified forest resources to meet international standards.

Contributing to the discussion, the Regional Director for West and Central Africa of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Mr. Balla Moussa Sidibé, said Africa’s future depended on protecting and restoring nature rather than exploiting it for short-term economic gains.

He described climate change as one of the continent’s biggest development challenges, affecting agriculture, food security, water resources, livelihoods and economic growth.

According to him, forests, wetlands, mangroves and healthy soils were strategic natural assets capable of reducing climate risks, improving food security and creating sustainable jobs if properly managed.

Mr. Sidibé cited the Congo Basin as one of the world’s most important ecosystems because of its role in storing carbon, conserving biodiversity and regulating rainfall, saying its protection was critical not only for Africa but for the global climate.

He called for increased investment in ecosystem restoration, sustainable agriculture, ecotourism and other green sectors to create employment opportunities, particularly for young people.

Other panelists called for stronger collaboration among universities, governments and research institutions across Africa, arguing that countries facing similar environmental challenges should share knowledge and expertise instead of working in isolation.

They also stressed the need for trust, transparency and fairness in research partnerships to ensure the benefits of collaboration were shared equitably.

Touching on Monday’s floods in parts of Accra, the panelists said years of wetland destruction and poor land-use planning had significantly worsened flooding in the capital.

They explained that wetlands such as the Densu Delta and Sakumo Ramsar sites naturally absorb floodwaters and protect biodiversity but had come under increasing pressure from encroachment and degradation.

The Director of the Research and Innovation Directorate of the University of Ghana, Professor David Dodoo-Arhin, said the Day of Scientific Renaissance of Africa had become an important platform for promoting research, innovation and partnerships that addressed Africa’s development challenges.

He urged government, industry and academia to deepen collaboration to ensure research produced practical solutions that improved livelihoods and supported sustainable development.

He urged African governments to invest more in nature-based solutions, strengthen environmental laws and translate research into practical policies capable of building climate-resilient, inclusive and sustainable economies for future generations.

By: Jacob Aggrey