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of Independence (or the War of
the Golden Stool), which began
on March 28, 1900.

To inspire the leaders of
her community, Asantewaa
proclaimed that if the men of the
kingdom would not defend the
people, as seen in the opening
quote, the women would. This
both invigorated the men and
challenged traditional gender
roles. She led the rebellion and
became an image of strength and
resistance. Unfortunately, she was
captured during the rebellion and
exiled to Seychelles, where she
died in 1921.

Yaa Asantewaa remains a
powerful reminder due to
her impactful actions in both
empowering her people and in
tactics against the British army. In
August 2000, to commemorate
her influence, a museum was
opened in her honor in the Ejisu-
Juaben District of Ghana.

Yaa Asantewa’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 where she
was given a befitting burial. She
is honored with a school named
after her, ‘Yaa Asantewaa Girl’s
Secondary School’. Many persons
of power have also named
their daughters after Nana Yaa
Asantewaa, including a former
President of Ghana, the late Flt. Lt.
Jerry John Rawlings and Anthony
A. Williams, the previous Mayor

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