Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, will receive the first batch of l874 looted objects from Britain on Thursday, 8th February, 2024.
This shipment of 1874 looted artifacts has reached Ghana on a United Airlines flight, featuring notable items like a ceremonial cap used during coronations. This collection, originally taken during the third Anglo-Asante War, will be formally handed over to Asantehene Osei Tutu II during the 150th-anniversary commemoration at Dwaberem, Manhyia Palace, on February 8.
A delegation, led by Dr. Silvia Forni of the Fowler Museum at the University of California, includes Dr. Rachel Raynor and Dr. Erica Jones, responsible for Registration and Collections and the Africa Department Curator, respectively. Professor Kwesi Ampene from Tufts University also accompanies the team.
Acquired by the Fowler Museum in 1965 from the Wellcome Trust, the objects received permission to leave California under their CITIES PERMIT in December. Discussions between the Fowler Museum and Manhyia Palace had been ongoing for years, with Dr. Erica Jones visiting and meeting with Asantehene last year.
The decision for permanent return arises partly due to changes in legislation at the University, allowing the return of all looted items. Historian Ivor Agyeman-Duah confirmed this development, highlighting a new cultural cooperation framework involving the Fowler Museum, the University of California, Manhyia Palace Museum, and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
The returned objects, dating before Asantehene Kofi Karkari in the 1840s, include an ornamental chair, large beads, a strand of seed or bug-shaped beads, gold jewelry, a royal stool ornament, a royal necklace, and another royal stool ornament. This marks a significant step in rectifying historical cultural losses and fostering ongoing collaboration in preserving cultural heritage.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II is the 16th Asantehene, or king, of the Ashanti people in Ghana. He ascended to the throne in April 1999, becoming the spiritual and political leader of the Ashanti Kingdom. Otumfuo Osei Tutu II is known for his efforts in promoting unity, cultural preservation, and development within the Ashanti region and Ghana as a whole.