KUMASI GOES BLACK AS PREZ MOURNS LATE ASANTEHEMAA

-

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo today, Jan. 16,  joined hundreds of mourners and well wishers to pay their last respect to the late Asantehemaa, Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi. 

The first of the four-day pre burial and burial rites for the late Asante Queenmother and biological mother of the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu, saw the mourners first file past the body before paying homage to the Asantehene. 

Otumfuo Osei Tutu, who is also the Chief Mourner, arrived at the Manhyia Palace at about 11 am to also show his last respect to the mother before sitting in State to receive well wishers.

 Even though according to the official arrangement made by the Burial Rites Planning Committee designated the first day to the Paramount chiefs of the Ashanti region and members of the Asanteman Council from the Brong Ahafo, Eastern and Volta regions, many of the high profile dignitaries who had been scheduled for Wednesday the 18th of this month, joined the hundreds of mourners today. 

Among them were President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, some of his Ministers- Designate and high ranking members of the ruling NPP, the former President John Agyekum Kuffuor, the former Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan and his wife, the Chief Justice, Mrs. Georgina Theodora Wood, some Ambassadors, the President of the National House of Chiefs, Togbe Afede as well as dignitaries and delegations from Nigeria and la Cote d’Ivoire who trace their ancestry to Asante. 

Also present to pay their last respect to the late Asantehemaa and pay homage to the Asantehene were almost all the paramount chiefs in the Ashanti region and chiefs from Tuabodom, Nkoranza, Mim, Berekum, Akyerensua and Amantin in the Brong Ahafo region who are also members of the Asanteman Council. 

The first day of the burial rites was characterized by the splendour of the rich cultural heritage of Asanteman. These include the firing of musketry, playing of Kete and Fontonfrom accompanied by the Adowa dance while the chiefs came in with their full mourning regalia.

 The traditional priests and priestesses were also not left out as they came in their numbers to perform to the delight of all the visitors. Security arrangement was also very tight with all the entry points to the Manhyia Palace closed to traffic with a standby medical team comprising about 50 doctors and paramedics. 

The four-day burial rites for the late Asantehemaa will be climaxed on Thursday, the 19th when a Requiem will be organized to repose her soul to God at the St. Cyprian’s Anglican Cathedral at Bompata in Kumasi. 

Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem, who was the 13th Asantehemaa, succeeded Nana Ama Serwaa Nyarko in 1977, reigned for 39 years and passed on 14th November of last year.

President Nana Akufo-Addo and his wife, Rebecca, presented an undisclosed sum of cash as their donation, and some items as their parting gift to the departed queen mother in line with Asante custom and tradition. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

JUTE FACTORY IS BACK

-
Image
the administrative block under rehabilitation At long last, the much talked about defunct GIHOC Fibre manufacturing Company popularly known as the Jute Factory, is to be back in operations very soon.  Ashanti Today can confirm that work is feverishly ongoing towards the revival of the once golden sacks manufacturing company with the first production expected in the first quarter of next year.  It is a public-private partnership with a wholly Ghanaian company, Jute Mills Ghana Limited being the operator and has already sunk about five million Ghana Cedis to revamp the company.  The Jute Factory is located within the industrial area of Kaase.  It has been on divestiture for about 20 years now with successive governments paying lip-service to revamp it.   The old machinery at main factory to be replaced soon  It is one project that is dear to the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu, who has used almost every opportunity with business people and investors wh
Read more

THE STATE OF KUMASI'S 'INDUSTRIAL AREA

-
The once Industrial enclave of the Ashanti region within the Kumasi metropolis is fast losing its status as the nerve centre of jobs for the people.     This is due to the collapse of most of the companies in quick succession in  the last few years for various reasons. Background Industrialization was a key component of the first wholly indigenous government of Ghana led by Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. The Ashanti region was not left out in this drive which was meant to create decent jobs for the residents, particularly the youth.  Asokwa, Ahinsan, Kaase, Atonsu and Kyirapatre were the communities that became what is known as the ‘Industrial Area’ of Ashanti from the early 60s.  The christening of this enclave as the ‘Industrial Area’ was the people’s appreciation of the numerous state and privately owned companies that were sited there.  These communities fall within present day Asokwa Constituency which is in the western part of the metropolis from the Accra d
Read more

KWAMANG SHS NEEDS URGENT HELP

-
Image
New Campus of the Kwamang Presby SHS The Kwamang Presby Senior High/Technical School in the Sekyere Central district of Ashanti needs an urgent external intervention to address some of its pressing basic needs to function very well.  A visit by Ashanti Today to the school’s premises revealed that the school does not have an administrative block to administer affairs of the school for which reason the Headmistress, the Bursar and another staff are sharing one room which has been partitioned, while the Assistant Headmaster, the rest of the Accounts staff among other administrative officers are also working from an improvised classroom. Anybody who visits the Kwamang Presby Senior High Technical school for the first time will unavoidably take it for a basic school.  This is more so when it appears to be perching on the premises of the local Junior High School as its old site.  The school is wallowing in a myriad of challenges that are seriously militating against
Read more