The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has paid glowing tribute to his late elder sister, the Asantehemaa, Nana Konadu Yiadom III, describing her as both the spiritual mother of Asanteman and one of his greatest pillars of strength.

In a moving message delivered on his behalf by business magnate Dr. Sam Jonah, the Asantehene said her passing had created “an emptiness in my heart and in the 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 also one of my greatest pillars of strength,” he said.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II described the late queen mother as more than a titleholder, noting that her calm, measured presence helped preserve the family, lineage, and traditions of the Ashanti Kingdom.

“She was truly the mother of the kingdom, the one whose presence held together the delicate threads of our family and our heritage,” he said.

Reflecting on their relationship prior to his ascension to the Golden Stool, the Asantehene highlighted Nana Konadu Yiadom III’s role in shaping his leadership journey.

“Before the weight of the Golden Stool was placed upon me, she had already carried the weight of sisterhood, counsel, and love. She guided me with a steady hand as an elder, preparing me in ways I did not fully understand until destiny placed the Golden Stool upon me,” he recalled.

The tribute underscored the late Asantehemaa’s enduring influence as a unifying matriarch and a source of inspiration for both the royal family and the Ashanti Kingdom.