Otumfuo to give UK museum temporal replicas of looted Ashanti artefacts

Asanteman, under the leadership of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has announced a plan to replace the stolen Ashanti royal artefacts with crafted replicas, according to a news report filed by Manhyia-linked opemsuo.com

The gesture comes as the Fowler Museum of the United Kingdom officially handed over seven pieces of the artifacts that were looted during the Sagrenti War of 1874.

The gallery, once home to these stolen treasures, will not remain vacant but instead, it will be adorned with replicas of the crafts made by Asanteman.

The treasures were officially handed over to Asanteman on the 150th anniversary of the Sagrenti War during the Kuntunkuni Durbar held on February 8, 2024.

The Director of the Fowler Museum, Dr Silvia Forni, expressed appreciation for the offer to create replicas.

"We are honored by your offer to make replicas for us so that we will forever have the opportunity to tell our visitors a better story in our gallery, one that does not glorify the violent history of the past but is formed around respect and highlights the contemporary importance and vitality of Asante culture,” the opemsuo.com report quoted her to have said.

In her address, Dr Silvia acknowledged recent research conducted by one Dr. Erica Jones on the artifacts, leading to the decision to return them.

"It is with great emotion that I stand here today to present to Your Majesty seven historical artworks, some of which were looted from the Palace in 1876 and others that were part of the indemnity the Asantes were forced to pay to the British at the end of the Sagrenti War,” she added.

She praised the craftsmanship of Asanteman, emphasizing the history these artifacts have witnessed.

"These pieces have had a long and troubled history. They are witnesses to tragic moments in the history of the Asante Kingdom. They are also a testament to the long tradition of the beauty, artistry, and craftsmanship that have made Asante art famous throughout the world."

The ceremony witnessed the presence of key figures such as Dr. Erica Jones, the Senior Curator of African Arts and Manager of Curatorial Affairs, Dr. Richel Raynor, Director of Registration and Collections Management, Ivor Agyeman-Duah, a Ghanaian historian, and museum economist, and Prof Kwesi Ampene, Chair of the Department of Music at Tufts University and a Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences.

AM/SARA

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