Meet Nana Afia Abrafi II, Ghana's longest-serving queen mother

Ghanaians place a great deal of importance on tradition, and we have long respected our traditional leaders.

Queen mothers must grant their assent before the traditional council can enthrone a king, demonstrating how crucial women are to traditional rule.

The majority of them deserve praise for how they rule their citizens and work with both the present and previous governments to develop their cities.

The queen mother of Techiman Traditional Area, Nana Afia Abrafi II, is the subject of our spotlight today.

As of right now, Nana Afia Abrafi has ruled Ghana for the longest, having taken the throne in 1946 when she was just 19 years old.

Nana Afia Abrafi was born in 1927 to Adaatihene of Techiman Traditional Area Nana Ama Kyerewaa and Nana Kwaku Twi. She was enstooled as the 31st queen of Techiman Traditional Area in 1946. She was enstooled when Nana Akumfi Ameyaw III launched the formation of the Brong-Ahafo area, which Ohemaa Abrafi greatly aided with.

Nana Afia Abrafi was a key figure in the development of the Techiman market.

During the late General I.K. Acheampong's tenure, she was a member of the delegation that negotiated the formation of the Techiman District Assembly.

She has been a vocal opponent of pre-marital sex among young people and even worked to restore puberty rites (Bragoro) in order to reduce the rise in teenage pregnancies and STDs.

Having been Queen mother in both the pre-colonial and post-colonia eras, Nana Afia Abrafi II has witnessed the reign of kings such Nana Akumfi Ameyaw III, Nana Kwakye Ameyaw II, Osaberima Dotobibi Takyia Ameyaw II and the current Omanhene, Oseadeeyo Akumfi Ameyaw IV, who happens to be his last born son.

Nana is almost a century year old. A hospital and senior high school have been named after her, the Abrafi Women and children Hospital and Abrafi Senior High all in the Techiman Municipality.