The life story of Asantehemaa, Nana Ama Konadu Yiadom III (2017-2025)
Nana Ama Konadu Yiadom III was born in 1927 to the 13th Asantehemaa, Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem III (1977-2016), and Opanin Kofi Foffie, also known as Koofie or Keewuo of Besease near Atimatim, a suburb of Kumasi. He was a carpenter by profession. Nana Ama Konadu Yiadom III, the 14th Queen of Asante, was the first born of Asantehemaa Nana Afia Kobi’s five children, the youngest of whom is Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
In her teens, traditional puberty rites were performed for her to usher her into womanhood. After that she got married to Opanin Kwame Boateng, a blacksmith by profession who hailed from Aduman, near Kumasi. At a very early age, just when she was a little over a year old and being breastfed, Nana Panin was separated from her biological mother and given to her aunt (mother’s sister), Nana Afia Konadu at Ashanti New Town (Ash-Town), a suburb of Kumasi.
Nana Ama Konadu Yiadom III known in early life as Nana Panin, became well educated for life through informal palace education though she did not go through any formal education. In 1959, at the age of about 22, Nana Panin was christened and baptised into the Saviour Church of Ghana with the Christian name Ruth. She was also a menber of the Anglican Church by convention, for every Asantehene and Asantehemaa is an automatic member and patron of the Anglican Church.
By occupation, Nana Konadu Yiadom III was a caterer who specialised in local dishes. She was also into food crop farming and petty trading. Her hobbies were, cooking, music and dance. In the 2016, when her mother the Asantehemaa, Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem III passed on to eternity at the age of 111, Nana Ama Konadu (Nana Panin) was chosen to take her place on February 6, 2017, with the stool name Nana Ama Konadu Yiadom III. This fulfilled the prophecy of the Kwaku Firi Shrine through Baafuo Osei Akoto, a senior Linquist of Asantehene.
During her reign from 2017 to 2025, Nana Konadu Yiadom III was known to be fair and firm, honest and a good advisor. She had her own court where all her judgement were hailed as fair. The Saviour Church of Ghana has named a school at Bonwire after her, Nana Konadu Saviour School.
May she rest in perfect peace.
BY O-B. SAFO KANTANKA (TEACHER KANTANKA)
