Europe

France promises to return looted Benin statues by 2021

The French culture minister says his government will return artworks taken from Benin during the colonial conquest of the region by 2021.

Franck Riester was speaking on a visit to Benin.

France promised last year to send back 26 pieces now in the Quai Branly museum in Paris without delay, but Benin said it needed time to build a proper exhibition facility.

The 26 thrones and statues were taken in 1892 during a colonial war against the then Kingdom of Dahomey.

Their return is expected to put pressure on other former colonial powers to hand back artefacts taken during the colonial era.

During colonial rule in Africa, thousands of cultural artifacts were seized from the continent by Western countries.

An experts’ report from last year states that most of the Africa collection in the Quai Branly museum – approximately 46,000 pieces – was acquired with some degree of duress.

 

Source: bbc.com

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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