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The Manhyia Palace has unveiled a collection of repatriated artefacts looted from the Asante Kingdom by British colonizers, now on display for public viewing.
In a ceremony, Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II hailed the return of these items as a restoration of the shared spirit of the African continent, inviting the public to visit the Manhyia Palace Museum to witness these historical treasures.
The artefacts, taken from the Asante Kingdom by the British 150 years ago, have been returned under a loan agreement for three years, with the possibility of renewal.
This agreement involves the Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Museum, and the Asante Kingdom.
Among the 32 repatriated artefacts are the sword of state, a gold peace pipe, and various silver and gold ornaments.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II expressed gratitude to the British Museum for their role in facilitating the return of these culturally significant items, highlighting the efforts of his predecessors in negotiating for their repatriation.
“The exhibition that we are witnessing today has been through negotiations from my predecessors, where Prempeh I, when he returned, requested for these artefacts to be brought back. My uncle Prempeh II also brought up that idea in 1948 and my brother Opoku Ware also came up with this idea again and then I come here standing in front of you to negotiate. When I travelled in May [2023], I brought the matter up again with the British Museum and through that, here we are with all these items being returned and the agreement is for us to keep it for three years and renew it for another three years.”
