Traditional, religious leaders and sympathisers from all walks of life have bid farewell to Mamaga Toleyifoe V, Paramount Queenmother of Ve Traditional Area, and President of Volta Queens Associations.
Known in private life as Rita Esenam Joanitta Akasreku, Mamaga was born on October 11, 1977, to the late Samuel Kodzo Akasreku of Ve Koloenu and Veronica Gockel of Gbi-Bla and died at age 46. She was baptised into the Catholic Faith at St. Augustine’s Parish, Hohoe on May 6, 1978, and Christened Joanitta Rita by her late father and Esenam by her late grandmother, Bertha Dzagli.
Mamaga Toleyifoe had her Primary and Junior High School education at St. Teresa’s R.C. Girls’ School and Tsito Old Junior High School, respectively. She continued to Peki Senior High School and later moved to Vakpo Senior High School where she completed in the year 1996. In 2011, Mamaga Toleyifoe V was enstooled after the predecessor abdicated the stool and recommended her.
Mamaga Toleyifoe held on to her Catholic faith, even though she had become a traditional ruler and joined the Knights and Ladies of Marshal to prove her commitment to the Catholic faith. She also supported the St Michael Catholic Church in Ve-Koloenu by organising activities to support fundraising and other programmes, including her personal donations and support for the youth. Mamaga Toleyifoe was the brain behind the location and construction of the CHIPS Compound (Clinic) in Ve Koloenu with full supported by the then District Health Director of Afadjato South District.
Through her leadership, she taught her sub queens a lot in chieftaincy administration which had resulted in a number of them becoming very knowledgeable with the Chieftaincy Act. As a member of the Volta and National Queens Association, she held many positions andl became President of the Association in Volta and the Organising Secretary at the National level. Mamaga Toleyifoe died on December 6, 2023, at the Juaso Government Hospital near Konongo in the Ashanti Region while she and her colleague Queens were returning from one of the National Queen Mothers’ conferences at Techiman.
She left behind a daughter, Bakhita. Madam Veronica Gockel, Mother of the deceased said her daughter became her friend, confidante, and sister, after her grandmother passed on. “Being an only daughter, we agreed and disagreed on many issues but at the end, we always remained together”. Mr Vincent Adzato-Ntem, Stepfather of Mamaga described her as having been a wonderful daughter and started being there for her siblings, right from her young age. The Ve Traditional Council described the late Queen Mother as a beacon whose influence radiated far beyond borders, touching the entire Volta Region and beyond.
“She redefined leadership, carried the banner of our people with unmatched grace, and carved a legacy that time itself will struggle to erase.” For the Volta Region Queen Mothers Association, Mamaga Toleyifoe brought a new level of energy and excitement to the Association. It said her passion for the welfare and empowerment of women and children in the region was inspiring. The Queen Mothers’ Platform-Ghana (QMP) said Mamaga Toleyifoe was one of the strong pillars who contributed very actively to driving the agenda of advancing the role of Queen Mothers in national development.
Source: GNA
