Asante King Otumfuo Osei Tutu II was guest of honour at a Warsaw charity gala that raised a record €20 million for good causes, themed around his Ghanaian kingdom.
The fifth TOP CHARITY gala, staged as “The Magic Kingdom of Asante” at the Royal Łazienki Museum on 31 May, brought in about 85 million Polish zloty, the highest in the initiative’s history. Organisers Omenaa Mensah, who is of Polish and Ghanaian heritage, and her husband Rafał Brzoska, the InPost chief executive, again doubled the auction proceeds from their private funds. Across five years the initiative has raised close to 150 million zloty, lifting its cumulative support beyond 235 million zloty, roughly €55 million.
The Asantehene framed his attendance as recognition of Mensah’s work connecting the two continents. “Omenaa is a bridge,” he told the gathering, describing the invitation as an endorsement of dialogue between Europe and Africa rather than a protocol visit.
His presence anchored an edition built around Mensah’s Asante roots. The staging drew on the royal court’s symbolism and Adinkra motifs, among them Sankofa, a reminder of knowledge drawn from the past, and Nkyinkyim, a symbol of resilience. The 16th occupant of the Golden Stool arrived in Warsaw on 27 May for a five-day working visit, and a day before the gala he joined a leadership forum on Europe and Africa partnership alongside diplomats, business figures and a UNESCO representative.
Ghanaian art featured prominently in the sale. “Laced Fingers” by Accra and Vienna trained painter Amoako Boafo fetched about 1.5 million zloty, around €350,000, while a piece by Ibrahim Mahama, named by ArtReview as 2025’s most influential artist, sold for roughly 1.2 million zloty, about €280,000. One of the most personal lots was a multi-day trip to Ghana with Mensah and Brzoska, taking in Accra Cultural Week and visits to the foundation’s Kids Haven projects, which drew about 3.8 million zloty, near €900,000. Nigerian artist and philanthropist DJ Cuppy was also unveiled as ambassador of the Kids Haven Sport and Art Complex, a project Omenaa Foundation runs in Ghana.
The evening’s single biggest art result came from a monumental sculpture by Polish artist Krzysztof Renes, which sold for about 1.8 million zloty, around €420,000, more than four times its top estimate. A wellness experience with trainer Ewa Chodakowska set the record among auctioned experiences.
Founded in 2022, TOP CHARITY channels at least 30 percent of gala proceeds through a Philanthropic Consortium that funds social, educational and cultural projects in Poland, Africa and Europe. The jubilee edition, audited by EY, spotlighted Africa’s growing role in global partnerships and is set to close in Venice on 10 September.
