The Privileged Must Help the Underprivileged to Rise- Otumfuo
The King of the Asante Kingdom, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has underscored the need for the privileged in society to carry the burden of the underprivileged.
Speaking at the Top Charity Gala on its 5th edition on May 30, 2026, in Poland, His Majesty indicated that influential positions must be used as a platform to assist the rise of the less privileged in society.
“Because when we get to positions where we know we’ve made it, we have to think about the people that haven’t. How best can we help the underprivileged?” he asked.
His Majesty stated that the privileged in society will bear the brunt of the impact of not helping the underprivileged in offering them a better life.
“I know that they are doing it for humanity, and if we don’t support those who are not privileged to have access to education, health and everything else, it turns around to affect us,” he said.
“I’ve always said that the politician will think about elections; I have to think about the next generation. So if a President, or whoever, serves for four or eight years and fails to deliver education and health to the people, he leaves the scene, and I’m still there with the people,” His Majesty added.
Burden
Otumfuo recalled how this conviction became his burden, inspiring him to pay the tuition fees of 600 students in three public tertiary institutions just three months after ascending the Golden Stool in 1999.
“We started with education. In 1999, universities increased fees, and it became mayhem. I had been the King for only three months, so I took it upon myself to offer scholarships to 600 students in, at the time, three public universities — 200 students in each university,” he said.
The Monarch said this intervention restored sanity and calm, enabling the students to pursue their studies without disruption.
“Some of them have become doctors, lawyers, high court and appeal court judges. That is the essence of philanthropy. That is the very sense of having a feeling for people from where we stand, so that we also think about them,” he said.
His Majesty added that this conviction encouraged him to expand philanthropy in education, health and other sectors.
“I took the same decision I took in 1999 when I was brought to this position. I asked myself what I could do for my people, and I thought about education, I thought about health, I thought about industrialisation in my kingdom,” he said.
Story by Hajara Fuseini
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