About 2,000 artifacts taken during the colonial era are set to be returned to Ghana from the Netherlands and Germany. The announcement was made at the Next Steps Conference on Reparatory Justice and Restitution in Accra, where Dutch and German ambassadors presented President John Dramani Mahama with a catalogue of the items to return.
Speaking to delegates from more than 80 countries, Mahama cited the Ghanaian-sponsored UN resolution on the impact of slavery, saying its legacy still shapes Africa, the Caribbean, and the wider diaspora today.
During the conference, the German ambassador said the repatriation of the items is evidence of his country’s willingness to reckon with its colonial past and deepen ties with Ghana. The Dutch representative described the artifacts as crucial markers of identity for Ghanaian communities rather than simple museum pieces.
After 150 years, 39 significant artifacts, part of Asante’s royal regalia, are set to return to the Asantehene (ruler of the Asante people) in Kumasi, Ghana, during February and April 2024.
The precious regalia will be displayed in the city of Kumasi, once the capital of the powerful Asante Empire.
The Fowler Museum in Los Angeles and the British Museum, along with the Victoria & Albert Museum
Public opinion is divided following the adoption of a UN resolution declaring the transatlantic slave trade and the enslavement of Africans as the “most serious crimes against humanity.” Although the resolution – sponsored by Ghana – stops short of explicitly demanding reparations, it “encourages member states to support initiatives aimed at reparatory justice.”
While many across Africa and
The United Nations General Assembly has voted to recognise the enslavement of Africans during the transatlantic slave trade as the gravest crime against humanity.
The resolution, proposed by Ghana, also urged UN member states to consider apologising for the slave trade and contributing to a reparations fund. It does not mention a
Thousands of African artifacts still reside in European museums (file photo).