On Saturday 19th February, Benin President Patrice Talon officially opened an exhibition showcasing 26 royal treasures returned by France last November.
The artefacts, which are currently being displayed at the presidential palace in Cotonou in a show entitled “Benin art yesterday and today”, were stolen by French colonial forces in 1892.
Highlights of the collection include a wooden effigy of King Behanzin depicted as half-man-half-shark, a pair of elaborate wooden thrones, and four painted gates from the palace.
King Behanzin reigned over the Kingdom of Dahomey when it was plundered.
"We didn't have books, but we had these objects. These are the objects that told our story before they were taken from us", Cosme Houegbe Lo Behanzin, great-grandson of King Behanzin, told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
As the Beninese were celebrating the return of their treasures, a similar event was taking place in neighbouring Nigeria.
In a colourful ceremony accompanied by songs, drums and dancers, a cockerel sculpture and the bronze head of an Oba (king) were returned to a traditional palace in Benin city, 125 years after British troops pillaged them. The items were handed over to the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba Ewuare II.
In another success for the African restitution movement, the AfricaMuseum and the Belgian federal government turned over 85,000 Congolese articles to DRC Prime Minister Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde, on Thursday 17th February.
The country is to investigate the pieces’ origins to determine if they went to Belgium legally. All objects gained illegally will be considered for transfer back to Congo.
The artefacts, which include statues, utensils, masks, trophies and other items, comprise 70% of the entire collection of the AfricaMuseum.