Review Your Laws to Return Our Looted Treasures: Otumfuo to UK

It is the hope of the King of the Asante Kingdom, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II that after years of advocacy and calls for restitution of stolen African cultural artefacts, laws shielding and enhancing the illegality would be reviewed to make way for restoration.

His Majesty is a firm believer that the treasures must be returned to their owners and believes this can be achieved only with sincerity, mutual trust and goodwill by both parties.

“It remains our inalterable position that articles of cultural importance looted or procured in unethical circumstances through the colonial enterprise be restored to their owners. This is the position of UNESCO and the position clearly endorsed by the government of France. We are mindful of some residual resistance but in the main, we will contend that all of us in this room are victims of a system in need of updating,” he said at the British Museum, one of the UK Museums holding onto Asante artefacts.

Otumfuo further stated that the UK is challenged with a monumental lack of good conscience for restitution, casting a dent on its justice system.

“We are either victims of a system that denies justice or victims of a system that prevents us from administering justice and doing what we know to be the right thing. From both sides, we need sincerity to appeal to our conscience.  Nobody disputes the fact that many of the cultural articles were obtained in illegal or unethical circumstances. Can anyone in good conscience sustain the enactment of a law to protect illegality? That has to be a monumental challenge to jurisprudence and I dare say a challenge to what I unshakeably believe to the British justice.”

His Majesty used the occasion to convey his hope that the law which is shielding a crime would be reworked to render justice.

“My sincere hope is that in the fullness of time, sooner than later, state authorities will take steps to review laws contrived to protect illegalities and permit all concerned to apply themselves to the rational resolution of the challenge of restitution.”

Meanwhile, he has invited all continents sharing in this plight to his abode in Kumasi to develop strategies to go about the injustice they are faced with.

“I stand ready in the spirit of international harmony to invite the world to Kumasi for a global conference to seek universal consensus on the peaceful and rational restitution of illegally acquired cultural objects.”

Otumfuo was speaking at a lecture in London in the United Kingdom on July 19, 2024.