10-Year-Old Girl Enstooled as Queen Mother in Awukugua
Ten-year-old Spendilove Asare was sweeping her family compound in Awukugua in the Okere District of the Eastern Region on November 8, 2025, when the sound of musketry and traditional chanting signalled a moment that would change her life.
The Asafo Company, accompanied by traditional elders, family members and kingmakers, arrived at her home to perform the rites that would make her a traditional leader.
Spendilove was subsequently enstooled as Nana Afua Kumiwaa I, the Abontedom Ankobeahemaa of Awukugua.
According to the tradition, she hails from the lineage of the legendary Okomfo Anokye. Marked with hyire, the sacred white clay, the young queen was carried shoulder-high through the principal streets of Awukugua as residents gathered to witness the historic occasion.
The procession stopped at the town’s clans, where libation was poured and the spirits of the Brono were called upon to bear witness.
As part of the traditional rites, Nana Afua Kumiwaa I was given a lightly roasted sheep’s heart to eat—a ritual symbolising humility, truthfulness and honesty.
She subsequently grasped the afena, the state sword, and swore an oath of allegiance to the Abontendomhene and the people of Awukugua.
Why a Child Was Chosen
Abontendomhene of Awukugua Akwapim, Kumankum Sereko Ayerakwa II, explained that the decision to enstool the young girl followed prayers and what the traditional authorities regarded as divine guidance.
“We prayed for several days, and then the ancestors also pushed her to us,” he explained.
He said the traditional authorities decided that her age should not prevent her from assuming the stool, arguing that delaying succession could create disputes and litigation later.
“Since it falls on her, she is supposed to do it. And so, her family also accepted,” he said.
Despite her new responsibilities, Nana Afua Kumiwaa I remains a pupil at Great Future International School in Awukugua.
Reflecting on her enstoolment, the young queen admitted that she was initially nervous but said she gathered courage during the ceremony.
“Since I have the opportunity to move with the elders, I will always try to convey the children’s and girls’ needs to them for support,” she said.
A Young Queen with Big Ambitions
Outside her traditional duties and schoolwork, Nana Afua Kumiwaa I helps her parents and spends time with her grandfather, the Abontendomhene.
She also has clear ideas about the kind of leadership she wants to promote.
Asked which prominent figure she would invite to Awukugua, she named Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, whom she described as brave, generous and a strong advocate for education.
The young queen also expressed hopes for a more united Ghana, urging political leaders to put national interests ahead of political disagreements.
She envisioned “a better Ghana, where parliament can unite and think about the nation, rather than always fighting among themselves and making children believe that fighting is a good thing.”
For her, effective leadership requires finding solutions rather than dwelling on problems.
“Leaders must always look for solutions and a way forward, because too much complaining is a death trap,” she said, adding: “Listen more than you talk.”
From Queen Mother to Future Judge
Nana Afua Kumiwaa I has also set her sights on a future career in law.
“I want to be a judge,” she said, citing fairness, justice and transparency as her motivations.
She believes that becoming a good leader is not simply about academic achievement but also about humility and learning from leaders who have demonstrated good values.
Between school lessons and traditional responsibilities, the young queen continues to participate in community activities, including walking through local markets and mobilising residents for communal labour.
She has also had the opportunity to meet national leaders, including Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang.
Her story reflects the continuing role of traditional leadership in Awukugua, while also highlighting the unusual journey of a child balancing education, family life and the responsibilities of a traditional stool.
For Nana Afua Kumiwaa I, her reign has only just begun.
