Ghana: UK Temporarily Returns Stolen Ashanti Artifacts

Edited By: Salma Karmass

Two major British museums have returned 32 precious gold and silver artifacts to Ghana, taken over 150 years ago during conflicts between British colonial forces and the Ashanti kingdom. Fifteen of these items come from the British Museum, and seventeen from the Victoria & Albert Museum. The treasures arrived Wednesday in Kumasi, the historic Ashanti capital, as part of a six-year loan agreement.

This move comes amid growing international pressure for European and American institutions to return cultural objects looted during the colonial era to African nations. Under the agreement, the artifacts—including royal gold and silver regalia—will be displayed from May 1 at the Manhyia Palace Museum, coinciding with the Ashanti king Otumfuo Osei Tutu II’s silver jubilee celebrations, which will continue throughout the year.

Ivor Agyeman-Duah, the king’s advisor and negotiator of the return, explained that the loan is initially for three years, with the possibility of a three-year extension. “These artifacts hold immense cultural and spiritual significance for the Ashanti people. Their return marks a crucial step in our efforts to preserve and celebrate our heritage,” he told AFP.

This loan follows a previous restitution in February, when California’s Fowler Museum permanently returned seven royal objects to the Ashanti king. These pieces will now be displayed alongside the items loaned by the two British museums, reinforcing the recognition and reclamation of the Ashanti kingdom’s rich cultural legacy.