The British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum will return stolen objects from the colonial era. Among them, an ancient Mponponso sword and a gold peace pipe, taken in 1874.
The treasures will be exhibited at the Manhyia Palace Museum in Kumasi for up to six years. This restitution follows over 50 years of discussions between Manhyia Palace and the British Museum and coincides with significant events for the Ashanti kingdom, including the 150th anniversary of the 1874 war.
Nigeria is also negotiating the restitution of thousands of metal plaques, sculptures, and objects dating from the 16th to the 18th century, looted from the former Kingdom of Benin and currently held in museums and art collectors’ homes in the United States and Europe.
Two years ago, the neighboring Republic of Benin received dozens of art objects stolen in 1892 by French colonial forces in the capital of the former Dahomey Kingdom.
