From nomination to installation and governance of a new Asantehemaa

In Asante tradition, succession is a sacred matter. No stool—whether of a chief, a king, or a queen mother—is left vacant for long. The continuity of leadership is both a matter of governance and spirituality. 

After the burial of Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II, the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II summoned the Asantehemaa Gyaasehene and the elders to the Asantehemaa’s palace, in the presence of his Gyaase, to inform them of the nominee for the position of the Asantehemaa’s stool. The royal family, already gathered for a meeting, is subsequently informed. The selected individual, a female royal, is called, informed, and the other processes follow. 

Responsibility

It was the Asantehenemaa’s responsibility in life to nominate the Asantehene; now, it is the Asantehene’s responsibility to appoint her successor.

The process was guided by custom. The Asantehene examined the family line, considering not only blood but also character. In the end, the choice was clear: Nana Konadu Yiadom, the daughter of the late Asantehemaa, possessed the legitimacy, temperament, and wisdom to assume the stool.

Rituals 

Her installation followed sacred rituals. At Manhyia, she was led through the rites that connected her to the spirit of her ancestors. Libations were poured to invoke the blessings of those who had held the stool before her. The black stool, symbol of the queen mother’s authority, was presented to her. 

She was then bathed in the ceremonial waters of purification, signifying rebirth into her new role.
Clothed in royal black traditional cloth and seated in state, she was proclaimed Nana Konadu Yiadom III, the 14th Asantehemaa. Chiefs and elders pledged their allegiance, and the people of Kumasi hailed her with joy. Drums of victory replaced the earlier drums of mourning. The Asante nation, having grieved the loss of one mother, now embraced another.

Her installation was more than a personal elevation; it was the reaffirmation of Asante continuity. In the Asante worldview, leaders do not simply die—they transform into ancestors who watch over their successors. By ascending the stool, Nana Konadu Yiadom III did not replace her mother; she continued her mother's.

Governance 

To appreciate the significance of Nana Konadu Yiadom III’s installation, it is essential to understand the role of the Asantehemaa in governance. In Asante tradition, the kingdom is not ruled solely by the Asantehene. The queen mother is his counterpart, his counselor, and, in many respects, his equal.

Her first duty is custodianship of lineage. As the head of the royal matrilineage, she ensures the continuity of kingship. It is she who nominates the Asantehene, for kingship in Asante is derived through the mother’s line. Without her consent, no man can sit on the Golden Stool.

Secondly, the Asantehemaa serves as a counselor to the king. In private and in council, she advises the Asantehene, offering the maternal perspective that tempers power with wisdom. Many decisions of the state are first weighed against the advice of the queen mother.

Thirdly, she is the protector of women and children in the kingdom. The Asantehemaa speaks for the voiceless, ensuring that women’s concerns are heard in governance. She is the patron of traders, the comforter of widows, and the guardian of orphans. Her court is often filled with petitions, disputes, and appeals, particularly from women who find in her a sympathetic ear.

Finally, the Asantehemaa has a spiritual role. She takes part in important rituals, including the Adae festivals, where she sits opposite the Asantehene, symbolizing the balance of male and female authority. She is also thought to be the spiritual mother of the Golden Stool itself, which represents the soul of the Asante nation.

Thus, when Nana Konadu Yiadom III ascended the stool, she was not merely inheriting a title. She was assuming a sacred trust: to sustain the balance of governance, to preserve the lineage, to protect her people, and to maintain the spiritual integrity of Asanteman.

The writer is a Manhyia Palace Historian and Medical Superintendant at the Suntreso Hospital in Kumasi