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Namibia pulls down statue of controversial German colonial master

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Namibia authorities, on Wednesday, took down the statue of a controversial German colonial master from its location in the capital, Windhoek, and relocated to the Windhoek City Museum, following pressure from local activists.

The monument which had commemorated the colonial officer, Curt von Francois, a German army commissioner who has been credited with founding Windhoek, has been a subject of dispute and agitation from local campaigners and historians who have refused to attribute the honour to him.

The statue which had stood on a high pedestal outside municipal buildings, depicted von Francois in a military uniform with a moustache, a large hat, and holding a sword, which activists said was a symbol of his perceived cruelty.

The removal of the statue of von Francois’ comes two years after the statue of a British colonialist, Cecil Rhodes, was beheaded by activists at the University of Cape Town in neighbouring South Africa during protests sparked by the death of black American George Floyd.

A jubilant activist, Hildegard Titus, said the “moment is a recollection of dignity, our city has been white-washed.”

“There is an emotional tie to the statue being taken down but it also has to do with historical accuracy. It was a reminder of genocide,” Titus added.

Germany colonised Namibia from 1884 to 1915 and between 1904 and 1908, German settlers reportedly killed tens of thousands of indigenous Herero and Nama people in massacres historians have called the 20th century’s first genocide.

In 2021, Germany acknowledged the genocide after lengthy, bitter negotiations and promised more than $1 billion in financial support to descendants of the victims, whom many Namibians argue were not sufficiently involved in the negotiations.

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Ghanaians kick as President Akufo-Addo unveils ‘self-honouring’ statue

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A decision by outgoing Ghana’s President, Nana Akufo-Addo, to unveil what has been described as a “self-honouring” statue outside a regional hospital in Sekondi, has been generating serious criticism from a horde of Ghanaians on social media.

President Akufo-Addo got into troubled waters when he unveiled a statue of himself at the entrance of Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital in Sekondi as part of his one-day “thank you” tour of the Western Region on Wednesday.

While justifying the action, Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah, explained that the statue honors the president’s initiatives in the region, including the rehabilitation of Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital, the construction of a 3-tier Sinohydro interchange, and the redevelopment of the Takoradi Market Circle.

Mensah added that the statue was meant to commemorate Akufo-Addo’s development projects during his two terms in office.

However, many Ghanaians do not reason in like manner as they see it as an act of self-promotion rather than public service.

Opposition Member of Parliament, Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah who condemned the statue in a post on X, said “the people of the Western Region deserve better than these self-serving displays.”

Others also echoed similar sentiments, questioning the statue’s relevance at a time when several of the president’s initiatives remain incomplete.

An X user said it would have been admirable if the president had left such recognitions to posterity.

But despite the controversy, some Ghanaians have defended the monument, praising Akufo-Addo’s contributions particularly his flagship policy of free secondary education, which he has highlighted as his most significant legacy.

One of such supporters hailed him as the architect of Ghana’s free education system.

“He is deserving of this monument – the greatest president I’ve ever had,” he wrote.

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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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