Rawlings informed of Asantehemaa’s demise
Ghana’s former President, Flt Lt. Jerry John Rawlings, has described the late Asantehemaa, Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II, as a good-natured person he had a lot of respect for.
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The former President said ‘’the reverence, respect and recognition the departed Queenmother gave her own son, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, was a virtue you learnt from elderly mothers like her’’.
Former President Rawlings made the comments when a delegation led by Nana Nsuase Agyeman III, Otumfuo’s Chief Linguist, called on him on Monday to formally announce the demise of Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II.
The former President expressed his sympathies to Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and the entire Asanteman on their loss.
“Tell Nana I sympathise with him and I am sure the whole country will be mourning with him. Tell him to take heart. I know he was very fond of her. I am glad he became the King in her lifetime and had the opportunity to provide the kind of leadership she had hoped for. The country mourns with the Ashanti people,” the former President said.
Earlier Nana Nsuase Agyeman III had informed former President Rawlings that the delegation had been mandated by Otumfuo to formally inform him of the passing of his mother who died on Monday, November 14, 2016.
Nana Agyeman indicated that the Asantehemaa died at the age of 111 and served as Queenmother of the Ashanti Kingdom for 39 years.
The former President was also informed that a grand durbar of chiefs would be held tomorrow, Thursday, November 24 to mark the traditional one-week commemoration of the Asantehemaa’s passing.
Other members of the delegation included Baffour Osei Kwame, Otumfuo’s linguist, Mr Kofi Badu, Chief of Staff at the Manhyia Palace and Ernest Sarhene, Head of Protocol at Manhyia.
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr John Alexander Ackon, the Deputy Defence Minister, Mr Kenneth Adjei and, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress Mr Yaw Owusu were also part of the delegation.