UK returns looted Ghana artefacts on loan after 150 years

The United Kingdom has returned 32 gold and silver treasures stolen from the Asante Kingdom more than 150 years ago in what is today’s Ghana on a six-year loan, Ghanaian negotiators have said.

The artefacts, comprising 15 items from the British Museum and 17 from the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), were looted from the court of the Asante king during the turbulent 19th-century clashes between the British and the Asante people.Ghanaian authorities have for years tried to reclaim gold treasures looted by British soldiers from the Asante kingdom, which is also known as Ashanti.

The accord will see the relics, including gold and silver regalia associated with the Asante Royal Court, showcased at the Manhyia Palace Museum in Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti region, as part of the yearlong celebration honouring the king’s silver jubilee.

Ivor Agyeman-Duah, the chief negotiator, confirmed the items’ return, telling the AFP news agency on Saturday that they were given to the palace on loan.