The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II wants racial abuse and racial discrimination to be characterised as a crime against humanity through a new universal declaration by world leaders.

He believes racism results in the degradation of human beings.

Speaking at the Emancipation Day celebration in Trinidad and Tobago, Otumfuo called on world leaders to take candid steps in dealing with racial abuse and injustice that accompany it in some parts of the world.

“What is emancipation when the descendants of the emancipator’s slaves still cannot walk the streets of the greatest nations on earth free from fear for their lives.”

“What is emancipation for George Floyd, Steve Lawrence and the endless line of our descendants who have fallen to the feet of racial bigotry across Europe and the United States.”

“…I believe therefore that over 180 years after the emancipation act, it is time for a universal effort to give meaning to emancipation and invite our leaders to pursue the proclamation of the new universal declaration against racial discrimination into a crime against humanity,” he said.

Again, the Asantehene wants Africans and people of colour to stand up against what he describes as an attempt to relegate the black race to the background.