My Heart Feels Lonelier -Asantehene on Passing of Nana Konadu Yiadom III

The Monarch of the Asante Kingdom, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has attempted to articulate his grief over the passing of Nana Konadu Yiadom III, his biological sister and traditional mother.

The Queen, who was the only remaining sibling of the Asantehene, passed away peacefully at her residence at the Manhyia Palace on August 7, 2025.

In His Majesty’s tribute read by businessman Sir Sam Jonah, during a burial service for the late Asantehemaa, Otumfuo said her absence could be felt not just within the four walls of the Palace but in his heart.

“The passing of Nana Konadu Yiadom III, my beloved senior sister, the Asantehemaa and mother of the Golden Stool, has left an emptiness in my heart and soul of Asanteman. It is not easy for me as King to put into words the depth of my grief for the nation has lost a mother, and I have lost not only a sister but one of my greatest pillars of strength…The Palace feels quieter, the Golden Stool feel heavier, and my heart feels lonelier.”

The heartfelt tribute reflected the clandestine role Her Majesty played in his modelling to kingship, a process he said came through counsel and love.

“She was there in the quiet corridors of our childhood, guiding me with the steady hand of an elder, preparing me in a way I didn’t fully understand until destiny placed on me the Golden Stool.”

Otumfuo described her as a source of comfort and confidence when the “burden of kingship pressed heavily”.

His Majesty testified, “She had the rare ability to speak to me as both mother and friend. Her words were never reckless, never shallow. They were words that came from a deep well of experience and wisdom. When she counselled me, I listened, for I knew her loyalty was not divided by ambition. It was a loyalty born out of blood, love and destiny.”

The King says he takes solace in the fact that his sister had not just vanished but had joined her predecessors.

“I take comfort in knowing that she has not left us. She has simply moved into the company of our mother, Nana Afia Kobo Serwaa Ampem II and all the other noble Queens who came before her. She sits now in the eternal court of the ancestors, where her whistle continues to blow in our lives.”

The burial service took place at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi as part of the final burial rites on September 18, 2025.

Present at the event are President John Dramani Mahama, Deputy Eswatini Prime Minister Senator Thulisile Dladla, Former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Former President John Agyekum Kufuor.

Former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Former Second Lady Samira Bawumia, former First Lady Nana Agyemang Konadu Rawlings, IGP Christian Yohunu, BoG Governor Dr Johnson Asiamah and others also joined.

The final day of the burial rites will later witness the laying to rest of the late Asantehemaa, with her ancestors at the royal mausoleum at Breman Abusuakruwa.

The rites commenced on Monday, September 15.

A key point to note is the institution of the restriction on outdoor movement effective 7 pm on September 18 to make way for the burial of Asantehemaa.

Story by Hajara Fuseini