Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II | |
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Birth: | 1907 Ghana |
Death: | 15 November 2016 Ghana |
Age: | 109 years, 0-364 days |
Country: | ![]() |
Centenarian |
Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II (1907 – 15 November 2016) was a Ghanaian centenarian and the Queen mother (Ohemaa) of the Ashanti Kingdom.
Biography[]
Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II was born in Ghana on 1907. She was Asantehemaa (Queen mother) of the Ashanti Kingdom for 39 years. She was coronated on 2 June 1976 and her reign started on 6 February 1977 and lasted till her death. She was mother of the current Asantehene, Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II, who is the youngest son of her five children. She was the 13th Queen mother of the Ashanti Kingdom. Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II died on 15 November 2016 in her sleep in The Manhyia Palace, Kumasi, Ghana, aged 109.[1] She was buried at dawn in a full ceremony at the Breman Royal Mausoleum (Ban mu) on January 20, 2017, after her remains were removed from the Bantama Royal Mausoleum in order to receive final traditional rites. The Ashanti people believe that the Queen mother, buried first in the Bantama Mausoleum, must meet first with the royal ancestors before moving on the final resting place. The late Queen mother was laid in state for three days and buried on Thursday, 19 January 2017. On this day, a curfew was placed on the citizens of Kumasi, everyone was supposed to stay indoors from 8pm to 4am. This directive was announced by the chief linguist of Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II, Nana Nsuase Agyeman Poku Agyemang III on Friday January 6, 2017.
It is currently believed that Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II was the oldest member ever of a royal family anywhere in the world. The Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem Girls Senior High School was named after her. A roundabout in Kumasi is named for her.