Ghana Proudly Displays Reclaimed Asante Artefacts

Ghana’s Asante King, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, is proud to finally display 32 royal artefacts from his kingdom at the Manhyia Palace Museum in Kumasi, the capital of the Asante region.

“[Though] not all have been returned, what we have here still embodies the soul of the Asantes,” the king said on Wednesday, 1 May, as the gold and silver pieces were revealed to the public.

“So, the spirit is back here, and today is a day for Asantes, a day for the black African continent, and the spirits are back with us again today,” he added.

More than 150 years ago, British military forces pillaged Asantehene’s court during the 19th-century Anglo-Asante Wars, taking some of the items known as “Ghana’s crown jewels”.

Among the artefacts taken were the sword of the state (which is known as Mpomponsuo), gold badges of officials who would purify the king’s soul, and “the midnight knife” which was used for clandestine operations.

At the moment, the historic treasures are only on loan to the Asante king for between three and six years, as per an agreement between the royal and the Victoria & Albert Museum and the British Museum. However, many Ghanaians feel the items should be permanently returned to them.

Image Credit: Source