The Togolese President, Faure Gnassingbé was at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi on Wednesday to mourn with Asanteman on the sixth day of the final funeral rites of the late Asantehemaa, Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II.
Mr Gnassingbé flew into Kumasi from Lomé and spent less than an hour at the Dwabrem of the Manhyia Palace where the ‘Ohemaa Ayikese’ – as the final funeral rites is called in Asante tradition – was held.
He was led by the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Simon Osei Mensah, to pay homage to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II who sat in state to receive sympathisers from far and near.
Mr Gnassingbé is the first foreign Head of State to participate in the final funeral rites.
The 6th day of the funeral also recorded a historic moment when the Techimanhene, Oseadeeyo Akumfi Ameyaw made an entry to the Manhyia Palace, in a palanquin.
That was after the Asantehene had also arrived at the Dwabirem riding in a palanquin.
For more than 100 years, the Techimanhene never stepped foot at the Manhyia Palace but earlier this year in January, during the burial rites (Doteyie) of the Asantehemaa, Oseadeeyo Akumfi Ameyaw attended.
This followed a recent visit to the Techimanhene’s Palace by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, a development that helped to bury the age-old frosty relationship between the Asantehene and Techimanhene.
