U.S. Museum Gives Back Looted Gold to Ghana After 150 Years
A museum in the United States has returned stolen royal treasures to Ghana. These treasures were taken by British soldiers during colonial times. They were given back to the Asante king in Kumasi.
Many countries, including Nigeria and Ethiopia, want their stolen artifacts returned. But some museums say they can’t give them back permanently because of the law.
The British Museum and Victoria & Albert Museum in London agreed to lend some objects taken during wars to a museum in Kumasi.
The treasures returned by the Fowler Museum include an elephant tail whisk, royal stool ornaments, a necklace, beads, and a chair. Some were taken in a battle in 1874, while others were given as payment to the British.
This return is permanent, showing a shift towards museums taking responsibility for the artifacts they have. It’s important for Ghana, but it also raises questions about how the Asantes got these items.
A historian from the University of Ghana hopes this return starts a conversation about the Asantes’ past actions of looting from other tribes. He wants the original owners of returned items to be identified, and if not, they should become national treasures of Ghana.
Credit : Reuters