Ghana is gearing up to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II in 2024, and amidst the festivities, a monumental development unfolds. The Asante gold artefacts, looted by the British in 1874, are set to make a triumphant return to their ancestral home.
In a remarkable push for cultural restitution, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II had engaged in discussions with the directors of the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum in London. The revered Asantehene expressed his fervent desire to have these precious items back in time for his silver jubilee on the Golden Stool.
In May of this year, Otumfuo, accompanied by his technical advisors Ivor Agyeman-Duah (on the left) and Prof. Malcolm McLeod, engaged in discussions with British Museum officials in London.
The Asante gold regalia, integral to the cultural heritage of the Asante people, were seized by the British following the third Anglo-Asante war of 1874. This war resulted in the destruction of the palace of Asantehene Kofi Karikari, and the subsequent imposition of a heavy indemnity of 50,000 ounces of gold.
Among the looted items are a pipe, three pectoral discs, a pair of silver anklets, and various beaten gold pieces used for adorning state stools or swords. A portion of the gold was auctioned by the London crown jewellers, Garrard’s, to fund pensions for the wounded and next of kin.
The anticipated return of the Asante artefacts in 2024 aligns with two other significant events in Asanteman: the celebration of 150 years since the third Anglo-Asante war and the centenary of the return of the 13th Asantehene, Prempeh I, from 28 years of exile in the Seychelles.
The V&A Museum is actively engaged in developing a programme to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the 1874 war in London. This initiative involves collaboration between Ghanaian and British artists who will jointly create a memorial.
To negotiate the repatriation of the artefacts, the Asantehene has assembled a team of experts, including historian and museum economist Ivor Agyeman-Duah and former Keeper of Ethnography at the British Museum, Professor Malcolm McLeod. Discussions with the V&A Museum’s director, Dr Tristram Hunt, are progressing, with an agreement expected to be signed before February 2024.
The restitution of the Asante artefacts is poised to have a profound impact on Ghana’s tourism, academic, and cultural sectors. According to Prof. Kwame Osei Kwarteng, Provost of the College of Humanities and Legal Studies at the University of Cape Coast, the Asantehene’s rightful demand for restitution will contribute significantly to the history and identity of the Asante people.
Prof. Kwarteng emphasizes that these artefacts, once returned, will find a home in the Manhyia Palace Museum, which has undergone extensive transformation to receive and showcase the beauty and craftsmanship of the Asante gold regalia.
The anticipated influx of local and international visitors is expected to not only appreciate the historical significance but also promote academic research and highlight the rich culture of the Asante people.