Ghana’s Call for Return of Ancestral Remains from UK Institutions

Nyienyim 

Ndaansa yi mu dze, wiadze nyina ayɛ kor reper dɛ wɔsan dze kusum ndzɛmba na hɔn a wowuwui wɔ nkowaatɔn ber mu no hɔn mu no bɔkɔ aman a wɔfae fii mu no bio. Aman a wodzi dɛm ahwehwɛdze yi mu adɔntsen nye ɔman Ghana a wɔrohwehwɛ dɛ hɔn nsa bɛka nananom hɔn mu nkaa na ndzɛmba a ɔsom hɔn bo ara yie a UKfo da ho wɔ no hɔn nkyɛn no nyina.https://www.honour.org.uk/value-of-human-remains-conference-museum-of-london/ Dɛm ahwehwɛdze yi ka kwan a yɛbɛfa do etu tum a Aborɔfo wɔ no Ebibifo do na aman ahorow mu ayɛ kor ma abakɔsɛm mu atsɛnkyea  a Europefo yɛɛ tsiaa Ebibifo no nyina woeetum esiesie.

 No Ho Abakɔsɛm 
Ber a Britainfo ridzi Ebibifo hɔn do no, kusum amandze na amambra ho akadze pii, nyimpa binom hɔn mu, na kusum abakɔsɛm ho nkaedum ndzɛmba ahorow na wɔfaa nyansa kwan do dze kɔree. Wɔdze dɛm ndzɛmba yi kɔr Europe na wɔdze kɔr hɔn tsetse ndzɛmba korabea ahorow,esuapɔn mu, na ankorankor hɔn nsumaa mu ndzɛmba a hɔnankasa wɔboaboa ano kɛkyerɛe a, mpɛn pii no hɔn wɔfaa dɛm ndzɛmba yi fi hɔn hɔ no mpo nna wonnyim ho hwee. Dɛm su a wɔdaa no edzi no nnkyerɛ enyidzi dɛ mbrɛ Museum Ethics kyerɛ no.https://api.mountainscholar.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/7773bfb8-08ce-4c5c-923a-43c557baa1af/content

Ghana a nna wɔfrɛ no Gold Coast wɔ dzi a Britainfo bedzii hɔn do no mu no, wɔhweer ndzɛmba pii. No mu bi nye hɔn a wɔhyɛɛ hɔn dze hɔn kɔr nkurow a nna ommfi hɔn pɛ mu, hɔn a nhwehwɛmu a wɔrepɛ ayɛ ntsi wɔsesaaw ndzɛmba ahorow kɔree,nna nhyɛ a wɔdze too hɔn a wɔnye hɔn peer dɛm ndzɛmba yi ho no. British Punitive Expedition of 1874https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punitive_expedition (Britainfo Asotwe Nhyɛ Ntui a ɔkɔr do wɔ afe 1874) mu no, ɔkoe tsiaa Esuantseman no ma wɔgyee nafadze a wɔdze sika kɔkɔɔ ayɛ , dza ɔyɛ kusum ndzɛmba ,na nyimpa mu ahorow , a no mu dodowara pii kowiee wɔ mbea bi tse dɛ Britainfo Hɔn Tsetse Ndzɛmba Korabea mu, Oxford Esuapɔn Pitt Esutsen Ne Tsetse Ndzɛmba Korabea mu na Cambridge Esuapɔn no Tsetse Ndzɛmba Korabea a Ɔfa Asaase mu na Nyimpa Ho Nhwehwɛmu ho mu.https://web.archive.org/web/20210815041636/http://restitutionreport2018.com/ 

 Ohia Dɛ Wɔdze Dza Wɔdze Kɔree Kɔ Bea a Wɔfae Fii 
Afe 2003 mu no, Ghana sanee yɛɛ dɛ wɔmmfa hɔn a wɔdze hɔn kɔree no hɔn mu na kusum ndzɛmba a wɔdze kɔree nyina mmfi UK nsan mbra. Dɛm ehiadze ahorow yi yɛ per a aman ahorow bi tse dɛ Alataman, Ethiopia, na Kenya ka Ghana ho rohwehwɛ. Dza Ghanaman no dze n’enyi etsim do dɛ ne nsa bɛka no nnyɛ egyapadze anaa ndzɛmba a ɔfa hɔn amandze na amambra nko ho mbom nananom binom hɔn mu a woemmfi hɔnanka hɔn pɛ ammfa amma hɔn a wɔdze kɔree kɛyɛɛ hɔn nhwehwɛmu ahorow na wɔdze bi so kɔr nwomasuabea ahorow nyina so ka ho.

Dɛ mbrɛ amandzɛɛbɔ a All-Party Parliamentary Group for Afrikan Reparations (APPG-AR)https://afford-uk.org/return-of-the-icons/all-party-parliamentary-group-afrikan-reparations-appg-ar/ https://www.parallelparliament.co.uk/APPG/afrikan-reparations  a ɔwɔ UK dze bɔtoo gua no, dɛ wɔda ho wɔ Ebibifo binom hɔn mu a wɔahyɛ, tsidwerba ahorow na ndompe na wɔda iyinom nyina edzi kyerɛ nyina yɛ kwan a wɔfa do tsiatsia Ebibifo hɔn fahodzi do na ɔma fi ka dɛm nkorɔfo a wɔdze hɔn nyimpa akwaa a ɔtsetse dɛm dzii dɛm dwuma no.https://www.appg-ar.org/news/appg-for-afrikan-reparations-hearings-on-restitution-of-stolen-artefacts-and-remains Kuw a Mbrahyɛbaguanyi a wɔfrɛ no Bell Ribeiro-Addyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_Ribeiro-Addy dzii enyim no kamfoo mbra afofor a ɔdze ndanmu bɛba mbra  a ɔma ho kwan ma dɛm adze yi kɔ do no adze. No mu kor nye dɛ ɔbɛbra ɔmamfo no dɛ wɔbɛda ndzɛmba ɔtsetse dɛm no edzi akyerɛ wɔ dɔm mu anaa mpo wɔbɔtonton ndzɛmba dɛm no. Ɔsanee kyerɛɛ dɛ otwar dɛ wɔsesa Human Tissue Acts 2004 no mu ma ɔhwɛ kasa fa nyimpa ho akwaa a edzi abor mfeha na n’ekyir no ho yie.https://theconversation.com/new-report-calls-for-return-of-human-remains-but-uk-museums-lack-the-resources-to-act-252547 

 Ndzɛmba A Wɔdze Kɔree Ho Nsunsuando A Aka Hɔ 
Asɛm yi nyna hyɛɛ ase wɔ mfeha a otsia duakron n’ahyɛse no mu, ber a Britainfo botui hyɛɛ Ghanafo do bedzii hɔn do. Dza ɔwɔ mu nye dɛ, hɔn a Britainfo nsa tɔɔ hɔn do gyegye hɔn kusum ndzɛmba no bi nye Esuantsefo. Britainfo tui hyɛɛ Esuantsefo hɔn kuropɔn Kumase do wɔ ber a nna  Anlɔ na Esuantsefo hɔn ko a osii wɔ 1873 dze kesii 1874 mu no da rokɔ do no muhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Ashanti_wars. Hɔn nsordaafo hyɛɛ hɔn gyegyee Esuantsefo no hɔn ndzɛmba bi tse dɛ sika kɔkɔɔ nkrantsɛ, ahemfo ntar akɛse a sika kɔkɔɔ na adze bobɔ mu, na dza Esuantsefo frɛ no Akrafokɔnmuhttps://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/318430#:~:text=Cast%20gold%20disks%20called%20akrafokonmu,the%20week%20as%20the%20king. a wɔdze sika kɔkɔɔ ayɛ, ahemfo kyim ahorow, kɔnmuadzehttps://www.dawn.com/news/1812942?utm na nsaadzehttps://www.reddit.com/r/ArtefactPorn/comments/1dew1vw/a_bracelet_andor_anklet_which_is_part_of_the/?utm a wɔdze sika kɔkɔɔ awen na nyimpa no mu ahorow a wɔdze kɛyɛɛ abɔdze mu nyansapɛ ho nhwehwɛmu nyina dze kɔr hɔn kurow mu. Dɛm ndzɛmba a ɔsom bo dɛm yi nyina kopuee Britainfo hɔn mbea etsitsir bi tse dɛ the British Museumhttps://www.britishmuseum.org/about-us/british-museum-story/contested-objects-collection/asante-gold-regalia, Victoria & Albert (V&A) Museumhttp://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/a/asante-gold/?srsltid=AfmBOop_R1UIKMUmHYgGSir95OkWgYlCFTySThhKWYiZU0C-_58e_cUp, esuapɔn ahorow mu, na binom so dze kesiesiee hɔn nkyɛn.

Dza ɔkyɛn koraa nye dɛ, ndzɛmba etsitsir ahorow pii na wɔhweree a ɔsom bo kyɛn dɛm ndzɛmba  a wɔdze sika kɔkɔɔ awen yi nyina. Ɔno nye dɛ, ndzɛmba  anna wɔdze sika kɔkɔɔ ayɛ a wɔdze kɔree no, nna okitsa Esuantsefo hɔn gyedzi ahorow, sunsum mu ntɔyɛɛ ahorow, na hɔn nananom hɔn nkaadum kɔse a wɔdze gyaa hɔn. Sɛ erefa Akranfokɔnmu  no nko mpo a, nna ɔyɛ ahyɛnsewdze krɔnkrɔn a wɔdze hyɛ hɔn a wɔaben yie dɛ mbrɛ ɔbɛyɛ a wɔdze bɛtsew Esuantse hen no ne kra ho ama enyi bɔn biara aannhwɛ no. Afei, kusum nkrantsɛ a wɔdze kɔree no so, nna wɔdze yɛ amandze ahorow so. Dɛm ntsi, ndzɛmba a wɔdze kɔree no maa hɔ daa mpan wɔ sunsum afamu a nna ɔbor Kumase Ahemfie n’afasu no korakora. Siantsir nye dɛ, nna ɔsom hɔn bo enyikan do na sunsum mu nyinara.

 Mprenpren Kawdan: Afɛm A Ɔkɔr Do Wɔ Afe 2024 Mu 
Sanda bosoom no mu wɔ afe 2024 mu no, biribi soronko sii: Britain Tsetse Ndzɛmba Korabea no (The British Museum) na V&A dze too gua dɛ wɔdze mfe ebiasa risi hɔ afɛm Esuantsefo hɔn sika kɔkɔɔ na dwetɛ eduasa ebien a ber bi wɔbɛfae no a nna no mu duesuon fi V&A na no mu duenum so fi Britain Tsetse Ndzɛmba Korabea no. (apnews.com, telegraph.co.uk). Dɛm afɛm yi kyerɛ dɛ nsakyer botum aba no ho nhyehyɛɛ no mu wɔ ber a aba n’ewiei no.

Ɔwɔ mu dɛ nhyehyɛɛ no enntum ammfa sika biara ammbrɛ hɔn osian British Museum Act 1963https://www.britishmuseum.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/British-Museum-Act-1963.pdf no na National Heritage Act 1983https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1983/47/section/6 no dze, ɔbɛyɛɛ abakɔsɛm kɛsenara. Tristram Hunt, V&A hɔn panyin paara no, kyerɛɛ dɛ:

“Mfe ɔha na eduonum ekyir a wɔtowee hyɛɛ Kumase do no…V&A dze ahohoahoa nye Esuantsehen Otumfuo Osei Tutu reka abɔ mu wɔ n’afrenhyia a otsia eduonu enum no mu.” (theguardian.com)

Ghanaman no hɔn amambra ho fotufo a ɔdze Nana Oforiata Ayim kasae faa afɛm no ho dɛ:

“Ɔnnyɛ ndzɛmba gyan biara kɛkɛ… Ɔwɔ no ho mfaso wɔ sunsum afamu so…ɔka ɔman no no sunsum ho bi”

Ɔmmfa ho nye nsɛmpa a nkorɔfo kae faa iyi ho no, Ghanafo piinara so kasae tsiaa dɛm anamɔntu yi. Lorraine King, a ɔyɛ nsɛnkyerɛwnyi/amandzɛɛbɔnyi a ɔwɔ UK no kyerɛwee wɔ X(Twitter) do dɛ:

“Owifo bi bɔtow hyɛ wo do wɔ wo fie… na ɔdzɛ dza ɔbɛfae no bɛfɛm wo bio... bi a UKfo dze Ghanafo hɔn ahenkyɛw a wɔdze bo a no bo yɛ dzen a wowiae no bɛfɛm hɔn… ” (theguardian.com)

 US Tsetse Ndzɛmba Korabea na Ghanafo Hɔn Kusum Ndzɛmba a Ɔsom Hɔn Bo 
Biribi a osii a ɔyɛɛ kɛse bio sii wɔ Kwakwar mu wɔ afe 2024 mu. Ɔwɔ  mu dɛ wɔannhyɛ da ara ammbɔ iyi ho amandzɛɛ kɛse wɔ amanaman mu dze, naaso no ho nsunsuando bɛyɛɛ kɛse ara yie. Fowler Museum at UCLAhttps://www.dawn.com/news/1812942?utm https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/us-museum-returns-ghanas-first-batch-looted-gold-regalia-2024-02-09/#:~:text=The%20items%20returned%20by%20the,Asante%20royal%20museum%2C%20told%20Reuters.fii hɔn pɛ mu dze Esuantsefo hɔn adehye ndzɛmba bi tse dɛ kɔnmuadze,ahwendze ahorow na dza wɔawen a nna wɔdze siesie ngua  nyina kɛmaa Esuantsefo hɔn hen wɔ Kumase. Owura Ivor Agyeman Duah kyerɛɛ dɛ ɔyɛ kwan or a ɔnam do ɔdze dza ɔma yɛyɛ Ghanafo no bɛsan aba bio.

“Iyinom yɛ ndzɛmba a ɔka sesei na dza etwa mu bɔ mu ma yehu twaka a ɔda ntamu... a ɔno nye enyibuei ho mfaso mapa ankasa no.” (“These are objects that connect the present to the past... the very essence of a civilisation,”)

Naaso, iyi n’ano mmpem ha yi ara. Reuters bɔɔ iyi ho amandzɛɛ dɛ, sɛ ahyɛse no wɔkɛfaa dɛm ndzɛmba yi nyina kɔree wɔ afe 1874 mu. Dɛm ntsi, esuapɔn a wɔfrɛ no University of Ghana mu kyerɛkyerɛnyi a ɔdze Ɔbenfo Kwaku Darko Ankrah dze dɛm nsɛnhia yi bɔtoo gua dɛ:

"Esuantsefo so nyaa tumdzi a ɔmaa wobenyaa su a wɔdze gyegyee nkorɔfo kuw binom so hɔ egyapadze…”. (“Looting was also one major trait of the Asantes at the height of their supremacy and there is historical evidence of things they looted from other tribes they fought (across Ghana),” .) Iyi kyerɛ dɛ, mpatadze akatua no nngyina bɔn a ɔkɔr do ber a a nna wobu aman afofor no nko  na mbom ɔfa ndzeyɛɛ bɔn a abakɔsɛm kyerɛ dɛ osii no so ho bi na kwan pa a wɔbɛfa no edzi ho dwuma esiesie ndzɛmba a ɔtse dɛm no.

 Siantsir Ntsi A Ohia 
Ghanafo pii hɔn afamu no, tsitsir nye Esuantsefo no, ndzɛmba a ɔsom bo dɛm no na nananom hɔn mu bi a wɔfae kɔree no nnyɛ ndzɛmba a abakɔsɛm kyerɛ dɛ ɔwɔ hɔ ara gyan kɛkɛ. Dɛm kusum ndzɛmba yi yɛ sunsum muahoɔdzen, a wɔawen no amandze na amambra kwan do, a ɔyɛ adehyedze , na ɔda hɔn nyimpa ban a wɔyɛ edzi yie. Esuantsefo hɔn ho adzesua mu no,wɔgye dzi dɛ, sɛ dɛm kusum ndzɛmba yi anaa nananom hɔn mu a wɔdze kɔree no annsan annkɔ a, nna ɔno nkitahodzi a ɔda hɔn na nananom,ewuakɔr na esunsum a wɔgye dzi no twe anaa ɔyɛ mberɛw ma ndzɛmba mu bɛyɛ dzen ara yie ma hɔn.

Dɛ mbrɛ Ɔbenfo Eyifa-Dzidzienyo a ɔwɔ University of Ghana kyerɛɛ no:

"Ebibifo amambra a hɔn mpanyimfo dze gyaa hɔn no yɛ adze ɔtse ase …sɛ ndzɛmba awɔdze hɔn enyiwa hu no kɔ na onnyi hɔ bio a, bo a ɔsom a nkyɛ ɔbata ho no, yɛhwer …”(“African cultural heritage is a living heritage … when tangible materials… are taken away, we lose the value attached to them…”)https://www.akadimagazine.com/post/what-can-we-do-to-push-for-more-looted-african-items-to-be-returned-home

Dɛm asɛm a ɔkae yi nye UNESCO na ICOM no saa pɛpɛɛpɛr: ɔno nye dɛ amambra a wɔdze gyaa no nngyina fakor,wɔawen ahyɛ daa daa abrabɔ mu, nkae mu, na sunsum mu nkɔdo mu.

 Mbra Na Nhyehyɛɛ Mu Akwansiwdze Ahorow A Ɔwɔ Afaafa Ebien Ne Nyina Ho 
Ɔmmfa ho mbrɛ nkorɔfo rohwehwɛ dɛ iyi besi no, dɛ wɔbɛsan dze ndzɛmba no akɔ ne nkyir no yɛ adze a ɔreyɛ ayɛ dzen kakra. Siantsir no bi nye dɛ:

 British Museum   Act 1963https://www.nkenne.com/blog/uk-museums-return-looted-artifacts-to-ghana-amid-global-repatriation-debate#:~:text=The%20decision%20to%20return%20the,ownership%20of%20contested%20cultural%20objects.https://web.archive.org/web/20250617082713/https://manhyiapalacemuseum.org/an-emotional-show-in-ghana-marks-the-return-of-looted-asante-culture-from-the-uk/#:~:text=The%20British%20Museum%20and%20the%20V&A%2C%20meanwhile%2C,from%20permanently%20removing%20items%20from%20their%20collections.)&text=The%20request%20for%20the%20return%20of%20the,1920s%20during%20the%20reign%20of%20Prempeh%20I. na National Heritage Act 1983 no bra ɔman no ne tsetse ndzɛmba korabea ahorow no dɛ wobeyi ndzɛmba     a ɔtsetse dɛm no efi hɔ korakora
 Ohia dɛ nsakyer  biara a ɔbɛba no, ɔkɔ Mbrahyɛbagua mu ma wɔgye to mu ana wɔdze eedzi dwuma. Iyi ho ekyingye gu do rokɔ do dze naaso wonnkotum ahyɛ ho bɔ  dɛ kyenkyen ara a ɔbɛba mu dɛ mbrɛ wɔrohwehwɛ no.https://www.appg-ar.org/news/appg-for-afrikan-reparations-hearings-on-restitution-of-stolen-artefacts-and-remains
 Binom so susu dɛ ndzɛmba wɔsan dze kɔ ne nkyir no mma kwan ma adasa nnya bea fakor  a wɔbɔkɔ ekenya nyimdzee a ɔfa ndzɛmba a ɔtsetse dɛm ho.Cuno, J. (2014). Culture war: the case against repatriating museum artifacts. Foreign Aff., 93, 119.

Mbom no, ndzɛmba gu do ara resesa ber a ndwumakuw bi tse dɛ V&A mu Hunt gyee too mu dɛ: “Yɛwɔ asɛdze …dɛ yɛbɛkyɛ dɛm ndzɛmba a ebedzi hɛn hɔ yi pɛpɛɛpɛr ma obiara ne nsa ka nedze… ɔno so nnkyerɛ dɛ hɔn tsetse ndzɛmba korabea ahorow no bɔtɔ egyaagyaamu sɛ yɛkyekyer dɛm anyɛnkofa yi a .”("It doesn't seem to me that all of our museums will fall down if we build up these kind of partnerships and exchanges.")https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-68066877

 Dza Ghana Botum Ayɛ Na Dza Wɔreyɛ 

 Aban Ntamu Nkitahodzi Na Amambra Ho Nkitahodzi

 Esuantsefo hɔn hen no nye Britain ahemfo na Londonfo hɔn tsetse ndzɛmba korabea ahorow mu mpanyimfo benya nkitahodzi mapa.https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/05/10/british-museums-talks-return-looted-artefacts-ghana-king/?utm https://www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20240126-britain-to-return-looted-crown-jewels-to-ghana-but-only-as-a-loan?utm
 Wɔdze akwanserɛ bɔto abakɔsɛm mu enyimdzefo bi tse dɛ Ivor Agyemang Duahhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivor_Agyeman-Duah  enyim ma oeedzi enyim ma ndzɛmba a ɔkɔree nyina aasan aba ne nkyir.
 Ghana bɛhyɛ tum a okitsae no mu kena: Wɔbɛtserɛw Manhyia Ahemfie Tsetse Ndzɛmba Korabea no mu ma wɔdze ndzɛmba a nsa bɛsan aka no aakyerɛ wɔ kwan a ɔsɛ na ɔfata do. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/05/05/ghana-king-hopes-labour-asante-treasures-repatriation/?utm

2. Amanaman Mu Nhyehyɛɛ Ahorow A Wɔdze Hɔnho Bɔdɔm

 UNDRIP Article 12 a ɔmma kwan dɛ Ebibifi wɔ fahodzi dɛ kusum ndzɛmba na binom hɔn mu na adze a wɔbɛfae nyina no, hɔn nsa bɛsan aka bio.(en.wikipedia.org). Dɛm ntsi, wobotum egyina dɛm bra yi do ma dza wɔrohwehwɛ no hɔn nsa aka.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repatriation_%28cultural_property%29?utm
 Wobegyina UNESCOhttps://www.unesco.org/en/articles/restitution-cultural-objects na ICOMhttps://icom.museum/en/about-us/missions-and-objectives/#:~:text=The%20International%20Council%20of%20Museums,and%20future%2C%20tangible%20and%20intangible.&text=ICOM%20is%20a%20membership%20association,networks%20and%20co%2Doperation%20programmes.&text=ICOM%20is%20the%20only%20global%20organisation%20in%20the%20museum%20field.&text=ICOM%20has%20five%20main%20missions,carry%20out%20international%20missions mbra ahorow do egyina ndwumakuw na asoɛe ahorow a wɔayɛ hɔnho dɛ dza wɔreka no mmfa hɔnho no ma wɔaakentsen na wɔdze hɔnho aabɛhyɛ mu bi.

 Tɔwbɔ 
Ko a Ghana dze reper dɛ ndzɛmba  a wɔbɛfae no bɛsan akɔ ne nkyir no nngyina mbra nkotsee do. Ogyina ndzepa a wɔrohwehwɛ a ɔfa akomatɔyamu ho do, dza ɔbɛda hɔn nyimpa ban edzi do, na ama nananom enyidzi na obu a otwar dɛ wonya a woennya no do. Ɔwɔ mu dɛ afɛm a wonyae no kyerɛ dɛ mpontu bi aba dza wɔakasa ho no dze, naaso wonnyi akomatɔyamu biara wɔ ho. Pɛrpɛryɛ na atsɛn tsenenee a odzi mu papaapa hwehwɛ dɛ kusum ndzɛmba na hɔn mu ahorow a ɔsom hɔn bo no bɛsan aba hɔn nkyɛn a ɔrennsan n’ekyir bio. Enyikan do dze, wohia dɛm ndzɛmba yi dze naaso sunsum afamu akomatɔyamu a wɔrohwehwɛ no so hia hɔn kɛsekɛse a ɔnnyɛ ndzɛmba no ara gyan na wɔrohwehwɛ ma ekodu Ghanaman no mu.

 Mboaedze