The Asante Kingdom has taken delivery of 28 gold artefacts from multinational firm AngloGold Ashanti bringing the total number of restituted Asante artefacts from the British loot in the 1900s to 67.
The objects were officially handed over to the Asante Kingdom during a Durbar at the Manhyia Palace on November 23, 2024 in commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the return of Otumfuo Agyemang Prempeh I, the 13th Asantehene from exile.
The symbolic artefacts from South Africa include linguist staff, swords, palace security locks, rings, necklaces, and proverbial gold-weights depicting crocodiles and gold scandals.
Leading the official handing over at the Durbar were Mr Stewart Bailey, the Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs for AngloGold Ashanti, Ambassador Baso Sangqu, the Senior Vice President Group Sustainability, Eric Asubonteng, Senior Vice President Africa Non-operated JVC, Terry Strong, Senior Vice President for Africa, Samuel Boakye Pobi, Managing Director for AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi and Emmanuel Baidoo, Senior Manager for Sustainability in Africa.
Intel
According to the Director of the Manhyia Palace Museum, Dr Ivor Agyeman-Duah, the move to approach the mining firm for the objects followed an intelligence about the housing of some Asante Artefacts at Javett Art Centre at the University of Pretoria.
These were acquired through purchase, he highlighted.
Produced in Asanteman yet looted by the British in wars, these collections were acquired in 1922 by Swiss art collector Joseph Mueller.
They later became part of the Barbier-Mueller Museum in Geneva and were purchased in 2000 by AngloGold Ashanti and kept them at the Gold of Africa Museum in Cape Town from where they were transferred to the Javett Art Centre at the University of Pretoria.
After the intel, he said, Otumfuo initiated talks with the leadership of AngloGold and sent Dr Agyeman-Duah on a trip to South Africa to authenticate the artefacts and strike a deal for their return.
At the end of the processes and discussions, the firm decided to unconditionally return them, the Historian of Economic announced and appreciated the effort of all stakeholders in the return of the art works.
Commitment to Cultural Preservation
In his remarks, Mr Stewart Bailey, the Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs for AngloGold Ashanti, said he was “honoured” to be involved in the return of the artefacts to where they belong.
“It’s a deep honour for me personally to be involved in the project to send the treasures here to Kumasi where they were forged…We are deeply honoured to be part of this important moment of history to ensure that these cultural treasures are accessible not only to the Ashanti people but to Ghanaians in general.”
This, he stated, affirms AngloGold Ashanti’s commitment to the Asantehene, to the Asante Kingdom and its people as well as the firm’s regard and support for the preservation and celebration of rich and storied culture.
These artefacts will now be showcased in the Manhyia Palace Museum.
Durbar
Chairing the event was Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene alongside his mother, Nana Konadu Yiadom III, Asantehemaa.
Present at the event were Nananom, the President of Seychelles, H.E. Wavel Ramkalawan, First Lady of Seychelles, H.E. Linda Ramkalawan, Prime Minister of Eswatini, Russell Mmiso Dlamini, former President John Agyekum Kufuor, Ghana’s High Commissioner to Seychelles Francisca Ashietey-Odunton and Founder of Movement for Change, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen.