UK returns ancient artefacts to Ghana

The UK has agreed to return some 32 gold and silver artefacts that have been stolen from the court of Ghana’s Asante King in the 19th century.

The items will be returned on a loan to the current Asante King and they are planned to be displayed to the public at the Manhyia museum in Kumasi next month, the BBC reported.

The artefacts include a gold peace pipe, a sword of state and gold badges worn by officials charged with cleansing the soul of the king.

Dan Hicks, a professor of contemporary archaeology at Oxford University, told the Guardian the deal over the Asante gold is the “very welcome beginning of a process that will hopefully lead to the rightful return of important items to their rightful owners.”

The success of Ghana in negotiating the return of its centuries-old artefacts is watched closely by other African states.

Six decades on from independence, African governments are actively seeking the return of stolen artefacts.