Shops, streets to close on Sept. 18 in Ashanti region as Asantehemaa’s is laid to rest

Residents of the Ashanti Region have been directed to remain indoors on the night of Thursday, September 18, 2025, as part of the final burial rites of the late Asantehemaa, Nana Konadu Yiadom III.

Shops, social gatherings, and all forms of public activity will come to a halt to allow for the sacred burial at Bremang, the royal cemetery.

The directive, issued by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, aligns with centuries-old Asante royal traditions, which demand absolute solemnity during the burial of a King or Queen Mother.

On that night, the entire region is expected to fall into stillness, streets deserted, shops shuttered, and households in silence, as the Kingdom pays its final respects to the revered matriarch.

Security has been placed on high alert, with the Manhyia Palace cautioning that no movement, gatherings, or outdoor activity will be permitted from dusk to dawn.

The royal burial rites began on September 14 and will climax on September 18, 2025.