Asafoatse Nii Kotey Ga II addressing the media at the press conference
The family of the late Ga Manye, Naa Dedei Omaedru III, has made a startling revelation about the burial ceremony organised by the Ga Traditional Council.
They described the funeral as a fake ceremony orchestrated to deceive Ghanaians.
The family said that the ceremony organised by the Council and attended by Akufo-Addo, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the Chief Justice, and other key state officials was a hoax.
According to the family, persons who were presented to the president and his entourage, as well as members of the diplomatic corps and other dignitaries as children and relatives, were all impersonators.
Addressing journalists on Thursday, August 8, 2024, at Naa Dedei Omaedro We, Asafoatse Nii Kotey Ga II revealed that the casket that was laid in state at the funeral ceremony was filled with stones and did not contain the body of the Queenmother.
In October 2023, the Office of the Ga Mantse organised a funeral for the late Queenmother at the forecourt of the Ga Mantse Palace.
The remains were laid to rest at a royal cemetery in Accra after an interdenominational burial service and traditional rites.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, and their spouses, Rebecca and Samira, joined the Ga State to mourn the late Ga Manye.
Ministers of State, members of the diplomatic corps, Members of Parliament, security services, Council of State members, political party representatives, and the clergy were also present at the funeral rites.
However, Asafoatse Nii Kotey Ga II, who was clad in red and poured libation amidst the invocation of prayers, said Ghanaians had been misinformed to believe that the late Queenmother had been buried.
He announced that the family is still in possession of the mortal remains of the late Queenmother and will soon announce the official date for her final funeral rites.
“We want to state categorically that the mortal remains of the late Naa Dedei Omaedru III have not been laid to rest. The ceremony organised by the Traditional Council, which saw President Akufo-Addo participate, was fake. The casket that was laid in state and we saw some top men of God pray over it did not contain the mortal remains of our mother. That casket contained stones, not our mother. They also paraded some people who came to the funeral grounds as children of the late Queenmother. That was purely impersonation, and so we would also want authorities to deal with the matter,” he added.
When asked why they had waited so long to express their concerns, Asafoatse Nii Kotey Ga II said that they had been threatened with death if they came out to reveal the deception surrounding the funeral ritual.
“They threatened to kill us. They instructed us to remain silent and not speak out about the situation, and if you’re wondering why we didn’t speak up sooner, it was because they threatened to murder us. They said I had been dethroned because I was telling the truth. So if you didn’t hear from us when they planned that false funeral, it was because our lives were in danger and we had been threatened with death."
"We expected those involved in the matter to see reason with us, but instead they organised the phony funeral to deceive Ghanaians. But we have now revealed the truth, which is that our Queenmother has not been laid to rest."
"They plotted, trailed, and wanted to kill over this matter. Our lives were in danger, and so we had to take caution because they sent assailants after us, and we could not have come out to speak during those periods. But as we speak today, the truth is ours, and we want Ghanaians to acknowledge that," he said.
The family head, Charles Kotey Kotey, revealed that he is in charge of the mortal remains and will confirm that their mother has not been buried.
He stated, “The mortal remains of our mother are still with the family. The family will shortly announce the official date for the final funeral rites. We are urging the media to inform the public that we have been duped into believing that we, the late Queenmother, have been buried. But I want to emphasise that whatever was reported was untrue. I would consult with the family, and we would agree on a formal date for the funeral rites. After that, we will inform the media.”
Children of the late Queenmother and other family members were also present at the press conference.
Naa Dedei Omaedru III, also known in her private life as Naa Dedei Ablah, was born on Tuesday, April 20, 1934, at Faase in Accra to George Holmes and Sarah Akweley Kotey, both deceased.
She left behind five children, 30 grandchildren, and 59 great-grandchildren.
She passed away on December 26, 2022, in Dansoman, Accra.
