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France agrees to return traditional drum stolen by colonial settlers to Cote d’Ivoire

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France has agreed to return a traditional Ivorian talking drum which was stolen by colonial settlers when the European country was in charge of the West African nation.

The drum known as Djidji ayôkwé, has been restored in a workshop in Paris by experts from Musée du Quai Branly and will be returned to its home in Côte d’Ivoire before the end of 2022, according to Clavaire Mobio Aguego, the holder of traditional authority in Adjamé, the original home of the Djidji ayôkwé.

The artefact which has been stored at the Quai Branly Museum in Paris, is ready to be returned to Côte d’Ivoire under a restitution plan promised by President Emmanuel Macron, Aguego said.

The legendary drum, which once belonged to the Ebrié people, previously known as the Tchamans, was stolen by French colonialists in 1916.

It was used to warn of dangers, mobilise for war or summon people for ceremonies or gatherings and could be heard from some 12 kilometres away, said Aguego.

“It was a means of communication … If the settlers took it, it was a way of gaining control over the tchaman group,” Aguego said.

“The traditional Tchaman chiefdom has welcomed France’s gesture and is waiting for the drum’s return to Abidjan where a welcome ceremony will be held.

“It will be a great opportunity for the public to inspect the Djidji Ayôkwé up close, as it has only ever been talked about or seen in pictures.

“The Ivorian authorities have already reserved a place for it in the National Museum, located in Plateau, on the former lands of the village of Adjamé,” Aguego added.

Culture

DRC authorities arrest six over break-in at Lumumba’s Mausoleum

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Police in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) say six people have been arrested over a break-in and vandalism at the mausoleum of the country’s assassinated independence leader, Patrice Lumumba, in Kinshasa, the country’s capital.

The police had announced the six arrests late Wednesday and said they were still looking for two more suspects.

Interior Minister, Jacquemin Shabani, said in a statement that during the break-in which occurred on Monday, a case containing a single gold-capped tooth, the only part of the former leader that remained after his assassination, was broken by the vandals.

“We assure that the relic is secure and it is protected,” the minister said, without offering more information.

The return of Lumumba’s tooth from former colonizer Belgium in 2022 had been celebrated around Congo, with the tooth taken around the vast country so people could pay their respects.

Lumumba is widely hailed as the nationalist activist who helped end colonial rule in the DRC and went on to become the country’s first prime minister and was seen as one of Africa’s most promising new leaders, but he was assassinated within a year in 1961.

His body was dismembered and dissolved with acid in an apparent effort to keep any grave from becoming a pilgrimage site.

For many in Congo, Lumumba is a symbol of the positive developments the country could have achieved after its independence but instead, it became mired in decades of dictatorship that drained its vast mineral riches.

A military coup toppled Lumumba, who was arrested, jailed and later killed. His assassination, blamed on separatists, cleared the way for the rise of Mobutu Sese Seko, who ruled the country he later renamed Zaire for decades with support from Western powers until his death in 1997.

His one remaining tooth was kept by the Belgian police commissioner who oversaw the destruction of his body.

The tooth was returned to Congo after the visit of Belgium’s King Philippe, who expressed regrets for his nation’s abuses in Congo when it was a Belgian colony.

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Culture

Miss SA opens up on why she withdrew from Miss Universe pageant

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Reigning Miss South Africa 2024, Mia le Roux, has opened up on the reasons behind her withdrawal from the Miss Universe pageant which was held in Mexico, where Nigeria’s Chidinma Adetshina was the first runner-up.

While narrating her experience in a video she shared on social media on Wednesday, le Roux said her body was taking so much physical strain.

“Hello everyone, I’m back in South Africa and wanted to reach out to you all. Thank you so much for all of your kind wishes, your support and prayers,” she said in the video.

“I wanted to be transparent with you and share my story. A lot of you would’ve seen the video that I made about vertigo, while I was in Mexico at Miss Universe.

“Vertigo is a condition where it feels like you are dizzy and there’s a sense of the world spinning around you. It’s very intense and can cause major issues with your imbalance.

“Mentally I was very strong, I was ready, but physically, my body was taking strain. I had to even seek medical help in Mexico City. And even after the medical help, my condition still wasn’t improving.”

She added that during the preliminary rounds of Miss Universe, she had continued to push herself but her vertigo intensified and it became unmanageable.

She stated that while she was waiting backstage, she fell repeatedly and couldn’t stand up without support and was not in a position to safely walk on stage.

“It was not easy. As I was not doing it just for myself but for all of you in South Africa,” she said.

“I will continue to serve as your Miss South Africa, to support and uplift those who come after me. With my unbreakable spirit and an exciting year ahead, I will keep fighting for myself and for everyone with dreams and passions. I am so proud to still be your Miss South Africa,” she added.

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