On Thursday, August 7, 2025, Ghana lost one of its most revered traditional leaders when Asantehemaa, Nana Ama Konadu Yiadom III, peacefully transitioned to join her ancestors, leaving behind a legacy that will echo through generations.
The devastating news was delivered by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, during an emotionally charged emergency meeting of the Kumasi Traditional Council on Monday.
Speaking through his linguist in accordance with royal protocol, the Asantehene revealed that the beloved Queen Mother had been remarkably active throughout the morning of her final day, engaging in her usual duties with characteristic vigor, before suddenly departing in the afternoon.

Her passing came just one day after Ghana was plunged into national mourning following the tragic military helicopter crash that claimed the lives of eight high-ranking government officials, creating an unprecedented period of collective grief that has left the nation grappling with multiple profound losses.
Born as Nana Ama Konadu in 1927 at the sacred Benyaade Shrine in Merdan, a small town in Kwadaso, Kumasi, she entered the world during the critical period of the Asante Confederacy’s restoration.
Her birth itself seemed prophetic, occurring at a shrine that would later symbolise the spiritual foundation of her remarkable journey to the apex of Asante traditional authority.
The future Queen Mother was born to Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II, who would later reign as Asantehemaa from 1977 to 2016, and Opanin Kofi Fofie— known affectionately as Koofie or Keewuo—a skilled carpenter from Besease near Atimatim in Kumasi.
This humble yet dignified lineage would shape her understanding of both nobility and the common touch that characterised her reign.
In a twist of fate that would profoundly influence her character, young Nana Ama Konadu was separated from her biological mother when she was barely over a year old and still breastfeeding.
She was entrusted to the care of her maternal aunt, Nana Afia Konadu, in Ashanti New Town (Ash-Town), a suburb of Kumasi. This early experience of separation and adaptation would forge the resilience and empathy that became hallmarks of her later leadership.
While formal education eluded her, Nana Konadu Yiadom received what proved to be far more valuable—a rigorous traditional education that equipped her with wisdom no classroom could provide.
She learned the intricate protocols of royal conduct, the delicate art of conflict resolution, the sacred traditions of the Asante people, and the profound responsibility of leadership.
Her initiation into womanhood occurred alongside her niece, Nana Abena Ansa, in their early teenage years, marking her formal entry into the complex world of Asante traditional practices. She later married Opanin Kwame Boateng, a respected blacksmith from Aduman in Kumasi, a union that grounded her in the everyday experiences of ordinary Asante families.
In the mid-1990s, a remarkable prophecy emerged from Kwaku Firi Bosomfo, the priest of Kwaku Firi, who declared through Baffour Akoto, a Senior Linguist of the Asantehene, that Nanahemaa—as she was affectionately known—would one day ascend to become Queen Mother of the entire Asante Kingdom. What seemed like an impossible dream given the hierarchical nature of traditional succession became divine reality.
On February 6, 2016, following the death of her mother and predecessor, she was enstooled as the 14th Asantehemaa, taking the name Nana Konadu Yiadom III. The prophecy that had seemed so distant had come to pass, validating the spiritual dimensions of Asante traditional leadership.
For eight transformative years, Asantehemaa Nana Konadu Yiadom III redefined what it meant to be a traditional leader in modern Ghana. Her reign was characterised by an extraordinary blend of ancient wisdom and contemporary vision, traditional authority and progressive advocacy.
Perhaps no initiative better exemplified her forward-thinking leadership than her passionate campaign for maternal and child welfare. Recognising the critical importance of breastfeeding, she instituted an annual event dedicated to encouraging mothers across the Asante Region to embrace this natural practice, understanding its profound implications for child development and maternal bonding.
During her 5th anniversary celebrations as Asantehemaa, she demonstrated her commitment through action, making substantial donations to the Mother-Baby Unit (MBU), Pediatric Emergency Care Unit (PICU), and Pediatric Emergency Unit (PEU) at both Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and Manhyia Government District Hospital.
More remarkably, she personally covered all medical bills and expenses for new mothers, ensuring that financial constraints would never prevent women from accessing quality maternal care.
Her impact on education extends beyond policy into permanent legacy. The Saviour Church, recognising her unwavering dedication to God’s work and her consistent generosity, named the Nana Konadu Saviour School in her honour—a testament to her commitment to nurturing future generations.
As the traditional head of women’s affairs in the Asante Kingdom, she established herself as a paragon of equity and fairness. Her court became renowned for its ability to resolve even the most complex disputes amicably, with both parties leaving satisfied.
Her approach combined traditional wisdom with contemporary understanding of human rights and gender equality.
Those who knew Nana Konadu Yiadom III invariably described her using remarkably consistent terms: religious devotion guided her decisions, kindness tempered her authority, calmness marked her demeanor, fairness characterised her judgments, and firmness backed her convictions.
She was hardworking without ostentation, humble despite her elevated position, unassuming in her greatness, and accommodating to all who sought her counsel.
These were not merely ceremonial virtues but lived realities that shaped every interaction and decision throughout her reign.
The Asantehene has announced that the one-week celebration of her life would commence on Thursday, August 21, 2025. The atmosphere across the Asante Kingdom since her passing has been notably somber, reflecting the genuine affection and respect she commanded across all strata of society.
As Ghana mourns the loss of this remarkable woman, her legacy continues through the institutions she strengthened, the lives she touched, and the precedent she set for future traditional leaders.
She demonstrated that traditional authority, far from being anachronistic, could be a powerful force for positive change when wielded with wisdom, compassion, and vision.
In the sacred traditions of the Asante people, death is not an ending but a transformation—a joining with the ancestors who continue to watch over and guide their people.
Asantehemaa, Nana Ama Konadu Yiadom III, has now taken her place among these revered ancestors, her spirit forever woven into the continuing story of the Golden Stool.
The kingdom she leaves behind is stronger, more compassionate, and better prepared for the future because of her eight years of transformational leadership.
In honouring her memory, the Asante people celebrate not just a life well-lived, but a reign that redefined the possibilities of traditional leadership in the modern era.
May her soul rest in perfect peace, and may her legacy continue to inspire generations of leaders yet to come.
FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE, KUMASI