In Ghana, 32 sacred Ashanti objects that were looted by British settlers in 1874 have been temporarily returned by museums in the United Kingdom. Their presentation at the Manhyia Palace Museum in Kumasi arouses emotion and hopes for broader and more lasting restitutions. Reporting.
3 mins
With our special correspondent in Kumasi, Victor Cariou
At Ghana, sacred objects were stolen by British colonists 150 years ago. This May 1, 2024, they made their grand return to Kumasi, seat of the ancient Ashanti kingdom: 32 artifacts in all, on loan from two British museums for a renewable period of three years, exhibited for the first time before the eyes of Ghanaians, at their home. Enough to arouse a certain emotion among visitors, like Moses Nigande.
This professor from the North-East of Ghana, with stars in his eyes, has just come out of the Manhyia Palace Museum. “ It is very impressivehe enthuses. I wish this kind of exhibition had been organized throughout the country, so that people could learn more and more. “.
“ These objects looted in 1874 carry within them the spirit of the Ashanti people »
Sacred objects, steeped in history, such as the sword of the Ashanti kingdom, called Mpomponsuo, and gold badges, which were used to purify the king’s soul. At the head of the initiative which allowed their return, the current Ashanti king, Otumfuo Osei Tutu the second. “ These objects which were stolen, pillaged, in 1874, carry within them the spirit of the Ashanti peoplehe says. Today is therefore a day for Ashanti, but also for black Africa. The spirit we carried and shared is finally back among us “.
Also present, the directors of British museums were keen to underline their responsibility towards dispossessed populations. An essential first step for Edmond Moukala, UNESCO representative in Ghana: “ The goal is not just to remember. It is also to safeguard the identity of peoples, and thus promote peaceful societies, in which the spirit of solidarity will be reinforced. »
These artifacts will return to England in six years at most
The artifacts will return to England in a maximum of six years, as a British law prohibits definitive restitution.
What Ivor Agyeman-Duah, chief negotiator for the Ashanti king, explains: “ In the UK, for example, there are two main laws that prevent items from being permanently returned to their country of origin. This has been a subject of debate for 50 years. So, if we have the possibility of having these objects in our country, at least for 6 years, this allows us to achieve a certain objective. »
Ivor Agyeman-Duah expresses his hopes for the objects that remain to be recovered: “ This first step went very well. We hope this will open a door for the remaining items, which we are currently negotiating for. Particularly with individual art collections and certain institutions in South Africa. We are also talking to three major museums and galleries in the UK. Over the next two weeks, we will be going there to begin the next negotiations. In total, we hope to recover around a hundred objects, which were stolen from us in 1874 and after. »
Read alsoUnited Kingdom: London “loans” treasures stolen during colonization to Ghana for six years