Culture

Berlin Museums to begin repatriation of artefacts looted from Nigeria

Published

2 years ago

August 26, 2022

Public museums in Berlin, Germany, are to begin the repatriation of hundreds of prized Bronze artefacts which were looted from Nigeria’s Benin Kingdom during the colonial era.

The agreement was reached on Thursday by the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, the body in charge of public museums after finalizing an agreement with the Nigerian government on the return of the objects that were stolen when most of the country was under colonial rule.

The move follows a similar one early this month when the Horniman Museum in the United Kingdom entered into an agreement with Nigeria to repatriate artefacts looted by British soldiers from the Benin Kingdom during an invasion in the late 19th century.

The Horniman Museum and Gardens in southeast London had agreed to transfer a collection of 72 pieces of prized Benin Bronzes to the Nigerian government

The British expeditionary forces had, in 1897, went on a looting spree as they stole hundreds of valuable artefacts from the royal palace of the Kingdom of Benin, in what is now including numerous hand made crafts and sculptures dating as far back as the 16th century.

Most of the items were later sold or given to collections around the world, with more than 500 ending up in Berlin’s Ethnological Museum.

Last year, the French government had also entered into an agreement with Nigeria to return treasured artefacts called the Abomey Treasures to Benin as part of a wider effort to make amends for colonial wrongs.

After a series of negotiations with rjd Nigerian government spearheaded by Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, the
German government signed a preliminary agreement in July and the repatriation of the items will begin before the end of the year.

As part of the agreement finalized with Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments, about a third of the artefacts will remain on loan in Berlin for 10 years before they are fully returned.

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Culture

Ghana’s Afua Asantewaa begins second GWR sing-a-thon attempt

Published

10 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Ghanaian singer, Afua Asantewaa, on Saturday, began her second attempt at breaking the Guinness World Record (GWR) for the longest singing marathon by an individual.

The sing-a-thon which began in the early hours of Saturday, December 21, at Heroes’ Park, Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi, will run until December 25, and will see the determined songstress perform non-stop, focusing exclusively on Ghanaian songs.

According to Asantewaa’s manager, Madam Gladys Osei Owiredu, the audacious initiative is aimed at showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Ghanaian music to a global audience.

Owiredu confirmed that preparations for the event had been extensive but expressed confidence in Asantewaa’s readiness to finally break the record.

“I can confirm that she is ready for the task ahead. It’s been challenging—by way of preparations—but I can say she is ready,” Owiredu said.

Asantewaa’s second attempt follows her first effort in December 2023, which fell short of surpassing the current record of 105 hours held by India’s Sunil Waghmare.

But despite the setback, her team remains optimistic about breaking the record this time with corporate sponsors including International Maritime Hospital, Ghana Gas, Nasco Electronics, and Zoomlion Ghana Limited rallying behind her, underscoring the importance of the attempt in amplifying the global significance of Ghanaian music.

Culture

Ghana’s Supreme Court dismisses suit challenging anti-LGBT bill

Published

3 days ago

December 19, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Ghana’s Supreme Court has dismissed two separate suits challenging the legality of one of the proposed anti-LGBT legislations awaiting assent into law by the president.

The separate suits were filed by two legal practitioners, Amanda Odoi and Richard Sky, challenging the bill, seeking to declare it illegal and prevent the president from signing it.

The two cases had challenged the constitutionality of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill.

But in a ruling on Wednesday, the Supreme Court unanimously decided to dismiss the legal challenges to the new anti-LGBT legislation that has been criticised by rights groups.

The controversial bill was passed earlier this year by Ghanaian lawmakers with three years imprisonment for people identifying as LGBT and five years for forming or funding LGBT groups.

While dismissing the cases, presiding judge, Justice Avril Lovelace-Johnson, who delivered the ruling on behalf of the seven-member panel, said the cases were premature.

“Until there’s presidential assent, there is no act, the two cases were “unanimously dismissed,” she said.

The ruling is the latest blow to the LGBTQ community in Ghana and paves the way for the president to sign into law what many say is one of Africa’s most restrictive piece of anti-LGBTQ legislation.

President Nana Akufo-Addo, whose term in office ends on 7 January, had delayed signing it pending the outcome of the Supreme Court challenge but the judges said the case could not be reviewed until it had been signed it into law.

It expected that incoming president, John Mahama, will sign the bill into law as he had always expressed his support for the bill during his electioneering campaigns.