By Franklin Asare Donkor
A thanksgiving and memorial service has been held in memory of the late Queen Mother of the Ga State, Naa Dedei Omaedru III.
The final funeral rites and burial service of the late Ga Manye, which was held on Saturday, October 28, 2023, at the Ga Mantse Palace in Kaneshie-Accra, saw a rich display of Ga culture.
Some prominent personalities who attended the solemn service, held at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Accra, were the Ga Mantse, Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II; the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr. Henry Quartey; members of the Ga Traditional Council; members of the funeral planning committee; and some family members of the late queen.
The Ga Manye, Naa Dedei Omaedru III, died in December 2022.
The Ga Queen Mother, known in private life as Naa Dedei Ablah, was born on April 20, 1934. She is revered for her achievements and for seeking the welfare of women and girls in the Ga State and beyond.
She became Queen Mother of the Ga State in 1963 at age 29, was gazetted on November 29, 1968, and ruled for 59 years.
A one-time second runner-up in the Miss Ghana beauty contest, she received several humanitarian awards throughout her reign, including the Excellence in Culture, Chieftaincy, and Justice Award, presented in 2002 by the Gadangme Association International of Philadelphia.
