The move to get back the stolen inheritance from former European colonists has been gaining momentum in recent years. People across Africa and Asia are now demanding that their former rulers return some of the cultural artefacts back to the countries where they rightly belong. Expectedly, most of the stolen booty is from the global south and is in possession of museums, and private collectors living in rich industrialised countries. Moreover, the echo of protesters that have brought down statues and monuments honouring rich slave traders and demanding reparations for the past sins of colonising powers has given an added impetus to the movement for restoring cultural icons to countries where they rightfully belong.
Many of these are prize exhibits in Western museums, or some like the Kohinoor diamond are part of the booty of the British Royal family, others are stolen and not accounted for and even today items continue to be taken out by unscrupulous traders to sell in the West.
This month's coronation of King Charles III brought the matter once again into public focus as the ruler of Ghana’s Asante people, Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, one of the royal invitees to the ceremony later met with the director of the British Museum and raised the issue of artefacts looted from his palace during Britain’s war against his ancestors in 1874. During the coronation, people from the sub-continent were also on the lookout for the Kohinoor diamond. But Camilla did not wear it, perhaps keeping in mind the strong feelings it evokes.
The British Museum is a treasure trove of artefacts from across the world as Britain ruled the world with colonies stretching from Asia to Africa and onto the Caribbean islands. The US had thrown out the British much before any other country when Thomas Jefferson signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Despite this, the British continued to rule several other countries – no wonder it was said that the sun never set in the British Empire – and through this time, the British looted the colonies and brought home the trophies of war as well as riches collected from local Rajas as gifts.
The British Museum sources quoted by the BBC spoke of “exploring the possibility of lending items” for display in Ghana. The British Museum does not have the authority to return objects and must go through government channels for that.