American civil rights attorney, Benjamin Crump, has reaffirmed his commitment to advancing reparative justice and strengthening ties between Africa and the global African diaspora, describing Ghana as a key gateway for meaningful diaspora engagement.
Speaking at the launch of his debut novel, Worse Than a Lie, in Accra on Friday, Attorney Crump said the future of black people across the world depended largely on how they supported and invested in one another.
“The future of black people will depend on how we treat each other, how we support each other and how we invest in each other,” he stressed.
The event brought together diplomats, legal practitioners, students, members of the diaspora community and government officials, including representatives from the Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President.
Attorney Crump, known internationally for his advocacy in high-profile civil rights and police brutality cases in the United States, said Ghana occupied a strategic position in efforts aimed at reconnecting Africans in the diaspora to the continent.
He commended Ghana for creating platforms that encouraged diaspora participation through policy, education, investment and institutional collaboration.
The author explained that the novel sought to inspire a new generation of black lawyers and social justice advocates by presenting a black legal hero capable of confronting injustice within the legal system.
According to him, the fictional lead character, Boley Cooper, embodied the qualities of prominent black legal figures, including Thurgood Marshall, Johnnie Cochran, Willie Gary, Constance Baker Motley, Barack Obama and Kamala Harris.
He noted that black representation in mainstream legal thrillers had historically been limited, prompting his decision to write a story centred on a black lawyer delivering justice for marginalised communities.
Attorney Crump also used the occasion to encourage Africans and people of African descent to consciously support black-owned businesses and institutions as a means of building economic empowerment within their communities.
“We must save ourselves, and it starts with having a strong economic base,” he stated.
The Presidential Advisor on Diaspora Affairs, Mr Kofi Okyere Darko, said Attorney Crump’s engagement with Ghana had evolved beyond symbolic visits into substantive collaboration on reparative justice and diaspora relations.
He Darko said Attorney Crump played an influential role during the Diaspora Summit organised through collaboration between the Diaspora Affairs Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He added that Ghana remained committed to positioning itself as a serious meeting point between Africa and its diaspora through structured partnerships in areas such as investment, advocacy and legal cooperation.
Also speaking at the event, Ambassador Erica Bennett praised Attorney Crump for his dedication to justice and urged him to deepen his connection with Ghana.
She described the book as “a must-read” and expressed the hope that it would eventually be adapted into a television series.
The event was supported by Diaspora Bridge Consulting and the Ghana Tourism Authority.
BY CLIFF EKUFUL
Follow our WhatsApp Channel now! https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbAjG7g3gvWajUAEX12Q
