Asantehemaa

The Asantehemaa is the queen mother according to West African custom, who rules the Asante people alongside the Asantehene. African queen mothers generally play an important role in local government; they exercise both political and social power. Their power and influence have declined considerably since pre-colonial times, but still persist in the 21st century . They have an important role in the Akan tradition which is based on matrilineal descent. In areas of Ghana where Akan culture is predominant, each town has a chief and a queen mother who rule alongside the modern political system. The Asantehemaa is linked to the traditional Akan system succession of patrilineal and matrilineal alternation . She may not necessarily be the mother of the heir or the king in office. The Asantehemaa h...