Thousands bid Sunyanimanhene farewell

Sunyani, the capital of the Bono Region, was solemn and decked in black and red as thousands gathered from across the region and beyond to bid farewell to the late Sunyanimanhene, Nana Bosoma Asor Nkrawiri II. 

The funeral marked the climax of the seven days of mourning of the modern-day traditional leader who ruled the people of Sunyani for 44 years. Among the dignitaries who joined the chiefs and indigenes of Sunyani at the Nana Bosoma Asor Nkrawiri II Royal Palace, which is off the Sunyani-Atronie road, was the Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who led the government delegation to mourn with the Boahen Korkor Royal Family and the Sunyani Traditional Council. He was accompanied by his wife, Samira.

Also present were the National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Stephen Ayensu Ntim; the Minster of Employment and Labour Relations, Ignatius Baffour-Awuah the Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Stephen Asamoah Boateng; a Deputy Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, and the Bono Regional Minister, Justina Owusu-Banahene.

In addition, some NPP parliamentary candidates and the 12 municipal and district chief executives (MDCEs) in the region as well as regional executives of the party were fully represented.

The elaborate traditional burial ceremony, which began last Monday and climaxed on Saturday, brought socio-economic activities in Sunyani, including the central business district to a standstill, also in view of the month-long ban on certain public activities.

Dr Bawumia donated GH¢100,000 on behalf of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo before adding his own donation of the same amount, together with assorted drinks.

Tradition

Tradition was at its best as the chiefs and mourners, clad in black and red clothes, lined up on the principal street of the town amid the firing of muskets, drumming and cultural displays.

A group of women who had decorative red and black markings on their bodies to signify a mournful mood, moved from one end of the town to the other, wielding bamboo sticks which they tapped rhythmically on the ground as they chanted requiem phrases and sang dirges.

Traditional executioners, popularly known as ‘abrafo’, also had black and red marking with cutlasses in hand with which they occasionally surged menacingly towards the milling crowd, meeting children and adults to run for cover.

The Sunyanihemaa, Nana Akosua Dua Asor Sika Brayie II, and sub-chiefs sat in state throughout the six-day ceremony to receive mourners and delegations.

Profile

Nana Asor Nkrawiri II, who passed away in July 2022, was an educationist, known in private life as Christian Osei Kwakye. Nana Asor Nkrawiri was enstooled as the Chief of Sunyani on Monday, March 17, 1980 to succeed Nana Kwaku Yeboah.

He was a family man married to Martha Adjei Nyarko and Janet Abena Mansah, with nine children. The Sunyani stool was raised to a paramountcy in 1989. His reign as a traditional ruler, spanning 44 years brought peace, progress, unity, freedom and development to his people. 

Development

His administration saw the construction of the Regional Hospital which has now been elevated to a teaching hospital and the Nana Bosoma Market, one of the biggest markets in the region, among others.

On environmental issues, he worked closely with the Sunyani Municipal Assembly to improve on sanitation within the Sunyani township, and that made the city the cleanest city in Ghana at many points in time.

Education

A professional teacher, he taught at the Berekum College of Education, the Dormaa Senior High School and the Sunyani Secondary School. He served as a Board Chairman of the Community and Water Sanitation from 1998-2000, and as a member of the National Lands Commission Board and later became the Chairman of the erstwhile Brong Ahafo Regional Lands Commission between 2009-2016.