The Manhyia Palace has directed a complete shutdown of Kumasi, Ghana’s second-largest city, on Thursday, September 18, 2025, as the Asante Kingdom prepares to lay its cherished queen mother to rest with full traditional honors.
All schools, banks, shops, markets, and commercial centers across the Kumasi Metropolis will remain closed during the final burial rites for the late Asantehemaa, Nana Konadu Yiadom III, who served the kingdom from 2017 until her death at age 98 earlier this year.
The extraordinary measures reflect the profound respect for the queen mother, whose passing marks the end of an era for one of West Africa’s most powerful traditional kingdoms. The final funeral rites span four days from September 14 to 18, 2025, at the Manhyia Palace, drawing thousands of mourners alongside Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
Nana Effah Apenteng, Chairman of the funeral planning committee and Paramount Chief of Bompata Traditional Council, emphasized the cultural significance of the closure. The palace has suspended all commercial activities to allow residents to participate fully in what officials describe as sacred ceremonial rites steeped in centuries of Asante tradition.
The shutdown extends beyond mere commerce. Palace officials have instituted an indoor curfew from 7pm Thursday through 4am Friday, creating what they term a “sacred period” to ensure peaceful transition for the revered queen mother. During these hours, residents across Kumasi are expected to remain indoors as traditional rituals unfold.
The ceremonial proceedings will see the late Asantehemaa’s body moved from the Manhyia Palace’s Dwaberem to the Bantama Royal Mausoleum for ritual ceremonies, before proceeding to the Breman Royal Mausoleum for final burial. These movements represent deep traditional protocols that have governed Asante royal funerals for generations.
President John Dramani Mahama has confirmed his official attendance at the funeral rites, underscoring the national significance of the event. Churches, political parties, educational institutions, NGOs, and corporate bodies are expected to participate in Monday’s proceedings, highlighting the queen mother’s influence beyond traditional boundaries.
The funeral preparations have already begun reshaping daily life across the Ashanti Region. In accordance with royal protocol, all other funerals throughout the kingdom have been suspended from September 1-18, demonstrating the hierarchical respect inherent in Asante traditional governance.
Kumasi authorities have also scheduled a citywide sanitation exercise for September 13 to prepare the city for the influx of dignitaries and mourners expected from across Ghana and the West African subregion. The cleanup will halt commercial transport and business operations from 6am to noon.
The late Asantehemaa’s eight-year tenure as queen mother was marked by her role as advisor to the Asantehene and her influence in maintaining traditional values while navigating modern challenges. Her death represents not merely the loss of a traditional leader, but the passing of institutional memory that spans nearly a century of Ghanaian history.
As Ghana’s cultural capital prepares for this historic farewell, the shutdown serves as a powerful reminder of how traditional authority continues to shape contemporary life in modern Africa. The seamless integration of ancient protocols with modern urban administration demonstrates the enduring relevance of traditional institutions in 21st-century Ghana.
The funeral rites represent one of the most significant traditional ceremonies in recent Ghanaian history, cementing the late Asantehemaa’s legacy while reinforcing the cultural foundations that continue to unite the Asante people across the globe.
Source: newsghana.com.gh
