Modernity Must Not Require Us to Abandon Our Languages — Asantehene

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, has made a passionate plea for the urgent preservation of African languages.

Addressing people at Howard University in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, the King stated that global progress must never come at the cost of cultural self-worth or linguistic identity.

His Majesty insisted that true modernisation allows nations to engage with the world without sacrificing their heritage.

Otumfuo stressed that integrating into global systems should not mean erasing indigenous knowledge systems or historical self-awareness.

“Participation in the modern world must not require us to abandon our own languages, intellectual traditions, and historical consciousness,” Otumfuo Osei Tutu II declared. “Progress should never require a people to despise themselves. This is why the preservation of African languages requires urgent attention.”

The King explained that languages possess an intrinsic value that extends far beyond daily utility, serving as the foundational repository for a society’s worldviews, ethics, and collective memory.

“Language is more than vocabulary. It carries history, philosophy, moral reasoning, and the categories through which a people interprets reality. In our proverbs, appellations, songs, court language, and moral traditions, some ideas cannot always be fully translated into another language. When a language disappears, humanity does not merely lose a method of communication. Humanity loses a distinctive way of understanding the world.”

Calling for concrete action, the Asantehene urged academic institutions, traditional leaders, and policymakers to prioritise native language preservation, curriculum integration, and documentation to ensure that future generations remain anchored in their authentic cultural identities while navigating the modern world.

Story by Hajara Fuseini

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