Kumasi: Nana Konadu Yiadom III, known at birth as Nana Ama Konadu and affectionately referred to as Nana Panin or Naa Panin, ascended to the role of the 14th Asantehemaa on February 6, 2016. Born in 1927 at the Benyaade Shrine in Merdan, a small town near Kwadaso in Kumasi, Nana Konadu Yiadom III's life has been marked by her leadership and generosity.
According to Ghana News Agency, she was the daughter of Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II, the Asantehemaa from 1977 to 2016, and Opanin Kofi Fofie, a carpenter from Besease near Atimatim in Kumasi. At just over a year old, Nana Konadu Yiadom III was separated from her biological mother and raised by her aunt, Nana Afia Konadu, in Ashanti New Town, a suburb of Kumasi. Despite lacking formal education, she received a comprehensive informal education and underwent traditional puberty rites in her early teens alongside her niece, Nana Abena Ansa.
Married to Opanin Kwame Boateng, a blacksmith from Aduman in Kumasi, Nanahemaa has been recognized for her fairness and her ability to settle disputes amicably. Her leadership and dedication to her community have been evident in her generous acts, such as the donation to the Mother-Baby Unit, Pediatric Emergency Care Unit, and Pediatric Emergency Unit at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and Manhyia Government District Hospital. Her efforts in promoting breastfeeding among mothers have also been noteworthy, with the establishment of an annual campaign to support this cause.
In recognition of her contributions, the Saviour Church named a school after her, the Nana Konadu Saviour School. Nana Konadu Yiadom III's legacy is one of equity, justice, and unwavering support for her people, marking her reign as one of significant impact and compassion.
