Nana Ama Konadu, later known as Nana Konadu Yiadom III, was born in 1927 at the Benyaade Shrine in Merdan, Kwadaso, Kumasi. She was the first daughter of Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II, the 13th Asantehemaa (1977–2016), and Opanin Kofi Fofie, a carpenter from Besease near Atimatim.
According to GhanaRegions.com sources, she separated from her mother as an infant, she was raised by her maternal aunt, Nana Afia Konadu, in Ashanti New Town (Ash-Town), Kumasi.
Education & Early Life
Nana Konadu Yiadom III did not receive formal schooling but was thoroughly educated in palace traditions, where she learned leadership skills, cultural practices, and domestic management.
In her teenage years, she underwent the bragro puberty rites alongside her niece, Nana Abena Ansa, marking her transition into womanhood.
Personal Life Before the Stool
She married Opanin Kwame Boateng, a blacksmith from Aduman near Kumasi. Before her enstoolment, she worked in catering, farming, and petty trading, and enjoyed cooking, music, and dance.
She was baptized into the Saviour Church of Ghana in 1959 with the Christian name Ruth, while also serving as a traditional patron of the Anglican Church.
Prophecy & Ascension
In the mid-1990s, a prophecy by a traditional priest, delivered through the Asantehene’s senior linguist Baffour Akoto, foretold that Nana Panin would become Queen Mother.
After her mother’s passing in 2016, she was enstooled as the 14th Asantehemaa on 6 February 2017 and formally introduced by her brother, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, on 6 May 2017.
Role & Contributions as Asantehemaa
As the Queen Mother, she served as senior royal adviser to the Asantehene, nominated successors to the throne, safeguarded the matrilineal line, and mediated disputes. She was respected for her calm, fair, and humble leadership, and presided over her own court.
Her philanthropy was notable, she supported maternal and child healthcare, made donations to key hospital units in Kumasi, covered medical bills for mothers, and promoted breastfeeding through annual campaigns. A school was named in her honour by the Saviour Church for her contributions to education and welfare.
Passing & Legacy
Nana Konadu Yiadom III passed away peacefully on 7 August 2025 at the age of 98, following a brief illness earlier that day. Her death was officially announced on 11 August 2025 by the Asantehene during an Asanteman Council meeting at Manhyia Palace.
A one-week observance was held on 21 August 2025, attended by chiefs, queen mothers, and citizens from across Asanteman. She is remembered as a symbol of unity, cultural preservation, and compassionate leadership.
| Aspect | Details By GhanaRegions.com |
|---|---|
| Birth | 1927, Benyaade Shrine, Merdan, Kumasi |
| Parents | Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II & Opanin Kofi Fofie |
| Raised by | Aunt Nana Afia Konadu in Ash-Town |
| Education | Traditional palace training, no formal schooling |
| Puberty Rite | Bragro rites with niece Nana Abena Ansa |
| Marriage | Opanin Kwame Boateng, blacksmith |
| Pre-Reign Roles | Caterer, farmer, petty trader; baptized in 1959 |
| Prophecy | Foretold in mid-1990s |
| Enstoolment | 6 Feb 2017 as 14th Asantehemaa |
| Reign | Adviser, custodian of succession, mediator |
| Philanthropy | Supported hospitals, promoted breastfeeding, school named in her honour |
| Death | 7 Aug 2025 at age 98 |
| Legacy | Embodied justice, humility, and tradition |
