Mama Kasise At 90: A Legacy Of Grace, Wisdom, And Heritage Celebrated In Sirigu
The ancient, art-filled town of Sirigu came alive last weekend in a spectacular outpouring of joy, colour, and reverence as hundreds gathered to celebrate the 90th birthday, on 1st November 2025, of the legendary nonagenarian, Mama Melanie Thaddae Kasise fondly called Mama Kasise, a matriarch whose name has become synonymous with dignity, faith, and the preservation of cultural heritage.
The celebration, which drew dignitaries, family, friends, and admirers from across Ghana and beyond, was nothing short of breathtaking. From morning till dusk, Sirigu was transformed into a living museum of tradition — the Sirigu Women’s Organization of Pottery and Art-SWOPA’s courtyard pulsating with the rhythms of drumming and dancing that evoked the deep spiritual soul of the Sirigu people.
The festivities began with a solemn thanksgiving Mass at the Sirigu Roman Catholic Church, Martyrs of Uganda Parish, where Mama Kasise — radiant in her traditional woven cloth and trademark smile — was showered with prayers of gratitude and long life. The presiding priest hailed her as “a pillar of faith and woman of rare grace whose footprints are forever etched in the sands of our time.”
What followed was a grand cultural display — an extravaganza of music, dance, and folklore. The celebration was as much a tribute to Mama as it was to the enduring spirit of Sirigu — a town globally famed for its women’s artistry and communal pride.
Amidst the festivities, video and audio tributes poured in from all corners of the globe — from Europe, America, and across Africa — as children, grandchildren, and admirers of Mama Kasise shared heartfelt messages recalling her generosity, discipline, and lifelong devotion to faith and family. The air was thick with emotion as the screen lit up with smiling faces of loved ones, many with big smiles, sending blessings to “the living legend of Sirigu.”
Speakers at the event described Mama Kasise as “a woman of substance, a quiet revolutionary, and a beacon of wisdom who has inspired generations.” Her life’s story — one of resilience, humility, and unwavering faith — has long been an emblem of the transformative power of perseverance and education, especially for women in northern Ghana.
The celebration culminated in a magnificent poetry recital by two brilliant young ladies of the Melanie Kasise House of Sirigu Integrated Senior High School, who pledged to preserve the values Mama Kasise has lived by: unity, compassion, and service.
As the sun set over the ochre plains of Sirigu, it seemed as though time itself bowed to a woman who has lived through epochs yet remains young in spirit. The night sky glittered — not just with stars, but with the gratitude of a people celebrating a legend in their midst.
In the words of one elder, “We came to honour Mama Kasise — but in truth, she has honoured us all by the way she has lived.”
Happy 90th Birthday, Mama Kasise — a mother, a teacher, a light eternal.
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