More African nations calling for return of stolen artefacts

NAIROBI. – Calls are increasing across Africa for the return to the continent of heritage items stolen during colonial times.

As a result, experts said more cultural relics are likely to find their way back home, contributing to a restoration of the very essence of African culture.

Early this month, for example, the citizens of Ghana were elated over the return by a museum in the United States of antiques that had been looted from Ghana by British forces almost 150 years ago. The looted Asante royal regalia and other objects were returned to their original place, the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi, the capital of Ghana’s Ashanti Region.

The return of the artefacts signifies a turning point in Ghanaian history and reflects a global dialogue about cultural heritage restitution. Experts said this might inspire others to evaluate the source of cultural items that they possess.

Abigail Arunga, a Kenyan writer and social activist, said that African countries have been demanding the return of stolen artefacts for some time now, but the calls are getting louder.

“In Kenya, Kenyan artists under an umbrella organization called The Nest began the Invisible Inventories Program in 2012, with the objective of writing to a number of museums across the world asking them if they have any Kenyan artefacts in their collections,” Arunga said.

“Last time I checked, of the 40 museums that were written to, 33 have responded. So far, there is a record of 32 000 Kenyan artefacts in 33 foreign museums,” she said.

Veronica Waweru, an archaeologist doing fieldwork in Kenya, said that museums around the world still hold and exhibit stolen items, despite a UNESCO treaty in 1970 halting the illicit trade of cultural artefacts.

“Even after some museums decide to repatriate artefacts, they must cut a great deal of red tape to do so,” Waweru said. “However, in recent years, there has been increased pressure on Western powers to return stolen African property. These demands have caught the attention of the intended targets, as Western leaders all over the world have vouched to begin returning African treasures.”

For example, in 2022, Ireland promised to return mummified remains to Egypt. In addition, the Natural History Museum in London and Cambridge University said they are ready to return stolen human remains back to Zimbabwe, and France has showed a willingness to return artefacts to African countries. – China Daily