Ghana’s Asante King Welcomes Return of Artefacts from the UK and South Africa
Ghana’s Asante king has welcomed the return of 130 gold and bronze artefacts from the UK and South Africa, some of which were looted during colonial times and others purchased on the open market.
The items included royal regalia, drums, and ceremonial gold weights dating back to the 1870s, highlighting the cultural significance of gold in Asante society. Twenty-five of the pieces were donated by British art historian Hermione Waterfield, and the rest by South African mining company AngloGold Ashanti.
At a ceremony at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi, officials from AngloGold Ashanti said the gesture was made as an act of cultural respect and reconciliation. There have been tensions in the central Ashanti region between AngloGold Ashanti and residents, who accused the company of exploiting mineral resources without significantly contributing to local development or job creation.
Asante King Otumfuo Osei Tutu II thanked AngloGold Ashanti for voluntarily returning artefacts legitimately acquired on open markets, saying the gesture reflected “goodwill and respect for the source and legacy of the Asante kingdom.”
The reception took place on Sunday, according to a palace statement. Ms. Waterfield, a pioneering curator at Christie’s auction house in London, established a department focusing on African tribal art in the 1970s and has long supported West African art restitution.
According to Manhyia Palace Museum director Ivor Agyeman-Duah, Ms. Waterfield’s gifts included a wooden drum looted during the 1900 siege of Kumasi by British colonial forces. British soldiers were involved in a series of conflicts in the late 19th century known as the Anglo-Asante wars, during which the king’s palace was plundered twice.
In recent years, African countries’ calls for the return of looted items have met with some success, though some artefacts are only on loan. Last year, 32 looted artefacts went on display at the Manhyia Palace Museum as part of a three-year loan agreement between two British museums—the Victoria & Albert Museum and the British Museum—and the Asante king.
In 2022, Germany became the first country to return Benin bronzes to Nigeria in an effort to address its “dark colonial history.” These were looted by British troops in 1897 from the kingdom of Benin, in modern-day Edo State, Nigeria, and many were auctioned off in London or remain in collections worldwide.
Credit: BBC
