The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has reaffirmed his support for restitution and repatriation of African cultural properties stolen and taken away by Europeans.
He said it was more imperative now than ever for Africans to reclaim what was rightfully theirs but “illegally and shamelessly” appropriated from the continent by colonial masters.
“I support fully the initiative for the return and repatriation of African cultural properties to the continent,” he emphasised.
President Akufo-Addo disclosed this at the opening of a three-day summit for the restitution of African cultural heritage organised by the Open Society Foundations at the W.E. Du Bois Centre in Accra on Monday.
Present at the event were Africans in the diaspora and other dignitaries from across.
President Akufo-Addo explained that the need for restitution, return, reparation, and repatriation of stolen and looted African cultural properties under pre-colonial and colonial circumstances had to be issues of major concern to all Africans.
He said his support was not oblivious to the tension and contestations associated with the restitution processes, adding that “To achieve this call will require working partnerships with international counterparts based on mutual respect and understanding, involving dialogue, negotiation, and consensus building at all levels.”
“If reparations can rightfully be paid to victims of the Holocaust, it is so that reparations can be paid to victims of the slave trade,” he emphasised.
President Akufo-Addo opened up on the fact that governments, civil society groups, traditional authorities, scholars, and researchers had called for the return of African cultural properties that were illegally and shamelessly seize and transported from the continent.
President Akufo-Addo noted that reclaiming these cultural properties would help African descendants reconnect with their history, adding that “The reconnection of the past and present will also propel the building of new relations with the international community.”
The President singled out Europe, “which is principally responsible for the original thefts of the cultural properties. Most of these cultural properties, when returned, will also offer Africans the opportunity to develop local knowledge of the technological, cultural, social, and effective value of the objects.”
He said Ghana through the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, had set up a national focal team on restitution and repatriation.
The focal team he explained, was to conduct research and provide advice on international best practices and guidelines to support the country in the restitution process.
“Ghana has set up the national focal team because it is mindful of the complexities of the repatriation and reparation processes, and the sensitivities of the holders and recipients of the illegally acquired cultural properties,” he said.
He said already countries like Nigeria, Senegal, and Benin had managed to regain possession of some of their stolen cultural properties and relics.
In addition to this, the President said Ghana had also restituted some, adding that “In 2008, the government of Ghana collaborated with the elders of Ahanta to return the severed head of Nana Bedu II, who was executed in 1838.”
The three-day summit features plenary sessions, interactive thematic sessions, performances, and networking opportunities for key stakeholders.
The Open Society Foundations, founded by George Soros, are the world’s largest private founder of independent groups working for justice, democratic governance, and human rights.
They approach this mission through the illuminating principles of justice, equity, and expression—defining characteristics of any truly open society.
BY CLIFF EKUFUL
