
FRANCE RETURNS LOOT
France has begun the return of art treasures looted 129 years ago in West Africa
France has begun the process of returning art works looted from its former colony of Benin in West Africa at a special ceremony at the Quai Branly museum in Paris. President Emmanuel Macron who was the guest of honour said. “They are embarking on a journey to return home.”

The looted artworks consisting of anthropomorphic statues, royal thrones and sacred altars were looted when France conquered Dahomey Kingdom present day Benin Republic in 1892. Known as the “Abomey Treasures” they were taken as booty from the palace of King Benhazin of Dahomey. French Foreign Legion troops under Colonel Alfred Dodds broke into the palace and seized as many sculptures as they could. Dodd later donated the “Abomey Treasures” to a musuem in Paris in the 1890s.
Speaking at the handover ceremony that included Beninese and French dignitaries, Macron lauded the return; “the handing over of the art pieces represented an opportunity for the people of Africa to be able to speak their truth through their artefacts”.
“We have fought for these items to return home,” said Macron, referring to the challenges of the restitution process, which include training curatorial teams in Benin. The effort was both worthwhile and historic, he added. “The journey that now awaits us is a just journey. It’s the right path forward that opens up so many other paths ahead,”
Benin’s Culture Minister Jean-Michel Abimbola called the return of the works a “historic milestone,” and the beginning of further cooperation between the two countries. The French Development Agency will give some €35 million toward the “Museum of the Saga of the Amazons and the Danhomè Kings” to be built in Abomey under a pledge signed this year.
The calls for former colonial powers to return looted art treasures to Africa continues to mount as there are still over 90,000 art pieces in European museums alone.
The 26 pieces from the collection will return to Benin on November 10.
Source: AFP
About Post Author
felastory
Share this:
- Click to print (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)
- Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
More Stories
Au Revoir
France bows to Burkina Faso's demands that French troops leave the country in 30 days after Ouagadougou rescinds forces agreement...
Perilous Time
Ukrainian conflict speeds up Doomsday Clock to 90 seconds to midnight as fears grow over a nuclear confrontation between Russia...
Lunar New Year Shooter Kills Self
72 year old suspect killed himself with a single bullet after SWAT teams cornered him hiding in a van The...
Frank Go Home
Burkina Faso expels French troops from the country giving them 30 days to leave after massive local protests against their...
Big Blind Corporation
India blocks BBC's hit piece documentary from airing that tags Indian PM Narendra Modi to a bloody and fatal ethnic...
Lunar New Year Shooting
Ten killed and scores injured after mass shooting during Chinese New Year festivities welcoming the Year of the Rabbit in...
Average Rating