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Berlin Museums to begin repatriation of artefacts looted from Nigeria

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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

Zimbabwe calls on UK to return remains of 19th century warriors

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The Zimbabwean government has renewed its call on the United Kingdom to repatriate the remains of its 19th century warriors who were taken away by the British colonial masters after they rose up against colonial rule.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa who made the call during a speech at the burial of independence hero, Jaison Chirinda, who died on October 27 aged 82, said the move to repatriate the remains of the warriors was part of mounting pressure on Western countries and museums to return African artefacts and historical pieces plundered during the colonial era by powers such as Belgium, Britain, France and Germany.

“We remind the British government and people that the spirits of our heroes will not rest until their remains are repatriated and interred in a dignified way,” Mnangagwa.

He specifically mentioned anti-colonial hero King Lobengula, who was forced into exile, as well as Mbuya Nehanda and Sekuru Kaguvi, who were executed by hanging for resisting colonial rule.

“Equally, the remains of our brave warriors such as Chief Chiwashira, Chief Chingaira, Chief Mapondera and Chief Mashayamombe are still held in British museums as trophies, after they were captured and killed in horrific circumstances,” Mnangagwa added.

Mnangagwa also demanded an apology from the British government for colonial atrocities they committed.

“We demand an apology and reparations from the British government,” he insisted.

He also noted that Zimbabwe believes the remains were taken to the United Kingdom as war trophies and are being used for research at Cambridge University and London’s Natural History Museum.

Investigations over the years have revealed that the Natural History Museum in the UK holds over 25,000 human remains, with a number of pieces originating from Zimbabwe.

Two years ago, the British institutions announced that they were ready to cooperate, after a Zimbabwean delegation visited the country for talks but the issue has been topical for over a decade with the British revealing that discussions on the subject began in 2014.

The British control ended in 1965, but the local white minority ruled Zimbabwe, then known as Rhodesia, until 1980, when it was renamed Zimbabwe following a guerilla warfare often referred to as the “Rhodesian Bush War.”

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Ghanaians react angrily as American video vixen Rubi Rose tours Jubilee House

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Some Ghanaians have been outraged following a tour of the Jubilee House, the country’s seat of government, by American entertainer and video vixen, Rubi Rose.

The visit and tour of the Jubilee House by the controversial vixen, rapper, and OnlyFans content creator who arrived in Ghana on Thursday, October 31, 2024, sparked outrage and angry reactions among Ghanaians on social media who questioned the rationale behind the visit.

The American star was a special guest for a Halloween party in Accra and during her stay, was granted access to the Jubilee House, where she met with Nadia Adongo Musah, Deputy Director of Diaspora Affairs at the Office of the President, and was given a tour of the premises.

Photos of Rose’s visit to the Jubilee House circulated on social media, prompting discontent among Ghanaians, who questioned why someone with her background was allowed into the Jubilee House, also known as Flagstaff House, which holds significant historical and symbolic value as the seat of Ghana’s presidency.

Some angry Ghanaians took to social media to voice out their discontents.

A X user with the handle @fanti_boy wrote:

“Is this really Kwame Nkrumah’s Ghana?”

Another user, @_blacksnow09, said:

“Foreigners have more access to the presidential residence than citizens.”

@CopsonClaude commented:

“The Jubilee House is now Oasis Lounge.”

@PositiveAt59011 said:

“Please, is the place a hotel where Americans do lodge in?”

@DanQuaye22 said:

“They told the citizens Flagstaff House is a security zone, but see who has easy access.”

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