British actor Idris Elba has opened up about his recent trip to Ghana where he met with the Asantehene.
In a recent interview on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, the award-winning actor discussed his new film ‘Luther: The Fallen Sun’ and shooting a documentary about Ghana.
Elba, whose kente photo went viral, said his recent trip to Ghana was fascinating.
“I was in Ghana making a documentary about gold, The Gold Coast and how human beings are fascinated by gold,” said the actor who’s of Sierra Leonean and Ghanaian descent.
“While I was there, in Ashanti kingdom which is in Kumasi, the Ashanti King said hey I am a big fan, why don’t you come to my yearly procession and meet all of my kingdom of which is a very big, vast kingdom.” he explained
“So, I showed up in my jeans and they were like no..no. You got to wear this and that was the outfit,” he said. “It was really a fascinating day and I mean that was beautiful. The tradition was rich.” he added
He concluded his response with the symbolism of wearing a Kente and greeting the king.
“This is a Kente outfit. [points to the picture] It is a system. When you meet the king you have to lower the shoulder down a little bit and then shake the king’s hand,” he said, adding that it was his first time wearing it and was afraid it would fall.
“My thing kept unraveling and I was like I am going to meet the king and this is going to fall and I will be standing there in my boxers.”
During a work trip to Ghana in February last year, Idris Elba was seen paying homage to the Asantehene and his entourage at the Akwasidae festival in Kumasi.
In a meeting with Ghana’s President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the award-winning actor and People’s Hottest Man Alive disclosed that efforts were being made to establish a film studio in West Africa, including Ghana.