Kumasi gears up for Asantehemaa’s funeral

Preparations are underway for the final funeral rites of the late queen mother of Asanteman, Nana Afia Serwaa Kobi Ampem II.

According to Manhyia Palace, the final funeral for the late mother of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II who passed in November 2016 at age 111 would take place from December 3.

Kumasi which is the capital of the Asanteman Council is set to host thousands of Ghanaians and other dignitaries as they bid final farewell to its Queen Mother.

She was enstooled in 1977 as the 13th queen mother of the Asante Kingdom since 1695 after the late Nana Ama Serwaa Nyarko II who reigned from 1945 to 1977. She saw the reign of the late Otumfuo Opoku Ware II as Asantehene who reigned from 1970 to 1999.

Ahead of the final funeral rite celebration slated for the first week of December, traders are told to clear off from the streets from Pampaso to Doctor Mensah where the Asante Monarch, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II will be carrying through as he sit in Palanquin from Pampaso stool house to the funeral ground at Manhyia Palace.

The funeral Planning Committee led by Otumfuo’s Saamanhene Nana Osei Kwaku III were on Friday 27 October, inspected the routes where the Asantehene will be passing to the Manhyia Palace.

The routes are Pampaso, PZ and Doctor streets.

Traders are therefore advised to clear off from the routes in order to pave way for the Brazilian construction firm constructing Kumasi Kejetia Project.

Speaking in an interview with OTEC FM’ senior reporter Isaac Nsiah Foster the leader of the Funeral Planning Committee who doubles as Asantehene’s Saamanhene Nana Osei Kwaku II called on the contractor to speed up works ahead of the final funeral rites.

“We are giving all traders selling in the street of Pampaso to Doctor Mensah up to Tuesday to clear off for necessary arrangement to be made for Asantehene passes through to Palace, note Asantehene doesn’t beg for anything” he added.

According to him some rituals will be performing while bringing the Asante Monarch from Pampaso to the funeral ground.

However the consultant to the ongoing Kumasi Kejetia project Mr. Emmanuel Kwadwo Danso who among the Brazilian construction firm CONTRACTA managers accompanied the funeral planning committee to inspect the routes where the King will be passing through appealed to Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council (RCC), KMA, Urban Roads Department, Security Services and other stake holders to adhere to Otumfuo’s order in order to pave way for them to speed up works for the final funeral rite celebration.