Africanness Shouldn’t Be a Source of Shame But a Badge of Honour- Asantehene

The Overlord of the Asante Kingdom, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has encouraged Diaspora Africans to flaunt their African origin.

His Majesty asserted that it must be worn at all material times with a deep sense of pride and honour.

The Asantehene while addressing an audience at the University of the West Indies in Barbados, on November 12, 2025, stated that Africanness must not be seen as a source of shame.

It must be a “badge of pride and honour which you should always wear and display.”

“In my view, God gives us our brothers and sisters; we choose our own friends. This means you and I have no control over who becomes our relatives; that is God-given, but we have the latitude to decide who becomes our friends and associates in life. You and I are still knit together.

“You can’t go anywhere, so we have to make sure we build together because you are my brother and sister. Whether you like it or not, that’s what it is.”

Story by Hajara Fuseini