QUEEN MOTHER – YAA ASANTEWAA (1840 â<80><93> 1921)
Aanayaaa Yaa Asantewaa is said to have been born in 1840 and died in 1921. She was a successful farmer, and mother. She was an intellectual, a politician, a human right activist, a Queen, and a leader. Yaa Asantewaa became famous for leading the Ashanti rebellion against British colonialism to defend the Golden Stool.
She promoted the rights for women’s emancipation, as well as gender equality. She was the sister of the Ruler of Ejisu, (Ejisuhene) Nana Akwasi Afrane Okpase, belonging to an ethnic group in present day Ghana.
Asantewaa was appointed queen mother by her brother, Nana Akwasi Afrane Okpese. Akwasi died after the Asante civil war between 1883 to 1888.
After his death, Yaa Asantewaa, being very influential as queen mother, used her influence to nominate her grandson as Ruler of Ejisu. In 1896, her grandson, as well as the King of the Asante (Prempeh I), were exiled to Seychelles by the British. This was Britainâ<80><99>s way of dealing with African kings in the past. As was the case with the Benin Kingdom, and with the capture and exile of Oba Ovonramwen (King of Benin) in 1897. Sending a king to exile in such times was often followed by the looting of their land. This has led to the discovery of lots of Africaâ<80><99>s valued arts and crafts in Britain. Until this date, Africa still has not been able to regain its stolen treasures.
As expected, to further entrench their authority, the British Governor-General of Ghana (then known as the Gold Coast) Frederick Hodgson, demanded the Golden Stool. The Golden stool was the symbol of the Asante kingdom. This prompted a conference of the elders. Yaa Asantewaa was highly disgusted at the behavior of her male counterparts, and fought back insisting that if the men would not fight, she would gather the women to fight for their ancestral land.
Yaa Asantewaa led the famous war known as the War of the Golden Stool in 1900 against the British. She was captured, and sent to live in exile on the Seychelles. Yaa Asantewa died in exile on the 17th of October 1921.
Yaa Asantewaâ<80><99>s War was the last major war led by an African woman. To date, she is honored in Africa as one of the greatest African women. Her body was later returned to Ghana were she was given a befitting burial to honor a true ruler and leader. She is honored with a school named after her, â<80><98>Yaa Asantewaa Girlâ<80><99>s Secondary Schoolâ<80><99>. In a worldwide competition organized by the BBC Focus on Africa Program at the end of 1999, to select the African Personality of the Millennium, Yaa Asantewaa placed 20th out of one hundred nominees.