Idris Elba, a British actor visiting Ghana, found the Manhyia Palace to be fascinating.
The actor claimed during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that he was taken aback when asked to visit Asantehene, a major fan of his, while he was filming his documentary on gold.
For the first time ever, he was asked to accompany Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to the first Akwasidae of the year 2023.
Idris Elba said “so I showed up in my jeans. They were like, no, ‘you got to wear this kente cloth’. It was a really fascinating day. I mean, it was beautiful and the tradition was rich.”
He mentioned that he felt anxious when he first saw Otumfuo Osei Tutu II because he didn’t know how to keep the Kente cloth stable.
The actor told Stephen Colbert that “so when you meet the king, typically what you have to drop the kente cloth shoulder down a little bit and then shake the King’s hand. It’s part of the tradition like a symbol of respect.”
“This is the first time I’m wearing it and underneath, you just got your shorts on. And my thing kept unraveling. I was like, ‘oh, man, I’m going to meet the king, and it’s going to fall off me and be standing there in my boxers’.”
The Beast of no Nation actor expressed his happiness that there had been no catastrophe, adding, “I did my thing gently. It was actually a really beautiful time. I don’t mean to make fun of it. It was very beautiful.”
.@idriselba shares his experience meeting the Ashanti king on his trip to Ghana. 👑 #Colbert pic.twitter.com/6l8xrAGRZm
— The Late Show (@colbertlateshow) March 9, 2023
In honor of the February Akwasidea, Idris Elba visited Manhyia Palace on Sunday to pay respects to Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and Asantehemaa Nana Konadu Yiadom III.
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