BUCKHANNON -- It's not every day that an American college student replaces a royal's crown with an ordinary mortarboard to accept an undergraduate degree.
But this rare occurrence did, in fact, take place Sunday as Nana Akua Faah-Ababio, queenmother of Darmaa Gyasi in Ghana, received a bachelor of arts degree from West Virginia Wesleyan College.
Nana, the wife of Wesleyan political science professor Kwame Boateng, received her degree in sociology with a political science minor, along with approximately 300 other graduates.
The African queen, who plays an active political and spiritual role in Ghana, first moved to Buckhannon in 1994 and enrolled at Wesleyan full time.
However, from 1995 to 1998, her monarchial duties called her back to Ghana, where her husband says she is considered ''the people's mother.''
She returned to West Virginia in 1998 and resumed the pursuit of her degree.
Boateng, an African prince by birth, had been in the United States since 1987, when he was adopted by an American missionary who helped him further his education.
''They decided to help me come over to the U.S.,'' said Boateng, who accepted the offer and eventually obtained a doctorate in political science from the University of Tennessee.
The professor said his wife, like other graduates, will seek employment now that she has completed her undergraduate work.
''Not very many queens go to college,'' said Boateng. ''For getting where she is, more will be expected of her -- not only in terms of leadership, but also financially, so she will work.''
Nana said she will continue to spend time in both countries.
''If you are from a royal family, you never leave. It is always home,'' said Boateng.
''Sometimes I will be here, and sometimes I will go back,'' said Nana, who is responsible for settling traditional court cases involving family and land disputes and mobilizing the women in her district.
Boateng explained that in Ghana, chiefs and queenmothers play a ''very important part in the government.''
In its constitution, the parliamentary democracy of Ghana assigns clearly defined duties to chiefs and queens, who hold their titles for life, and members of the parliament and the president, who serve elected terms.
''The chiefs and queens are respected, because they are forever,'' said Boateng.
''We inherit matrilineally,'' said the prince. ''We inherit from the mother's side. So, women are more important traditionally in our area.''
Boateng explained that the couple's daughter, Yaa, could potentially become a queen. But it would be because of her mother's title, ''not mine.''
''The children belong to her family,'' said Boateng of their three children, Amma, who still lives in Ghana, and Kofi and Yaa, who live in Buckhannon.
''The culture is different,'' said Nana. ''It's more traditional at home.''
Both Nana and Boateng say they miss their home country. ''You don't speak of 'lonely' in Ghana,'' said Boateng, explaining that ''the people don't want to see you (royalty) walking alone. They will come and join you.''
''And,'' said Boateng, ''in African traditional religion, the spirits of the ancestors are always with you. And they are.''
