VIDEO: Asantehemaa Nana Konadu Yiadom’s 4-day burial rites underway

The four-day burial rites (doteyie) for the late Asantehemaa, Nana Ama Konadu Yiadom III, started on Sunday night at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi.

On Monday morning, thousands of mourners from across Ghana and beyond started filing past the remains at the Manhyia Palace.

Graphic Online's Gilbert Mawuli Agbey, reports from the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi that the Dwabrem is filled with mourners.

It was the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II who undertook the initial traditional rites to pave the way for Asanteman and other mourners to pay their last respects to the late queen mother. 

The rites, which were performed at dawn, made Otumfuo the first to see and file past the remains of the Asantehemaa. 

The move cleared the way for the individuals and representatives of various institutions billed to grace the occasion to have their turn to file past the remains. 

Persons scheduled to attend day one of the rites are churches and the clergy, political parties, educational institutions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), telecommunication companies, corporate institutions, all recognised associations and the general public.

Gilbert Mawuli Agbey reported that by 10:30 am, some paramount chiefs, queen mothers, and their elders were at the funeral grounds ahead of the arrival of the Asantehene at midday.

The Asantehene sat in state to receive commiserations from mourners and sympathisers. 

Hundreds of mourners are in a long queue anxiously waiting for their turn to file past the Asantehemaa's remains. 

Security 

There is heavy security by personnel of the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Armed Forces, and National Security to ensure order at the venue.