France solemnly returns Tuesday, November 9 to Benin 26 works of the royal treasures of Abomey looted in the nineteenth century by colonial troops, a “historic moment of national pride” for the Beninese authorities.
French President Emmanuel Macron receives his Beninese counterpart Patrice Talon to finalize the restitution of these 26 treasures preserved so far at the Parisian museum of Quai Branly, and which will reach Benin on Wednesday, November 10.
The Ministers of Culture of the two countries, Roselyne Bachelot and Jean-Michel Abimbola, will sign the deed of transfer of ownership from France to Benin, allowing the works to return to their country after nearly 130 years of absence. This solemn ceremony marks the last stage of an unprecedented process initiated with the promise made in 2017 by Mr. Macron to proceed to restitutions of African heritage in France.
“It is a historic moment of national pride”, Mr. Abimbola said a few days ago on Beninese television. “Certainly, these are only 26 works out of thousands, but we are starting something that can no longer stop”, he said. “We have primed the pump and do not despair of recovering other works” in Germany, Great Britain, the United States …
This initiative is “an important marker for the construction of a new relationship and a new perspective between France and the African continent”, welcomed the Elysee.
Among the restored works are totem statues from the former kingdom of Abomey as well as the throne of King Béhanzin, looted during the sacking of the Abomey palace by French colonial troops in 1892. These treasures will be returned aboard the ship. ‘a plane with Patrice Talon and their arrival will be celebrated on Wednesday in Cotonou, where they are awaited with emotion.
“I shudder at the idea of taking a closer look at these royal treasures, especially the thrones of our ancestors. It’s unimaginable.”, thus entrusted to AFP in Cotonou a dignitary and head of community Dah Adohouannon. “From the height of my 72 years, I can die in peace, once I see them”, he added.
The works will be submitted for two months “acclimatization” to the new climate and humidity conditions, before being exposed for three months to the Beninese presidency.
“Obviously there will be a hustle and bustle because everyone will want to see them very quickly and early enough”, predicts a student, Henriette Béhannzin, who hopes that the visits will not be reserved for the privileged, “for they are treasures to all of us”. The treasures will then go to the old Portuguese fort of Ouidah and the governor’s house, historic sites of slavery and European colonization, located on the coast, pending the construction of a new museum in Abomey.
During his speech in Ouagadougou in November 2017, Mr. Macron pledged to make temporary or permanent restitution of African heritage in France possible within five years.
Based on a report submitted by Senegalese and French academics Felwine Sarr and Bénédicte Savoy, he decided to return 26 works requested by the authorities of Benin. A law passed in December 2020 made these refunds possible in Benin by allowing exceptions to the principle of“inalienability” works in public collections because they had been the subject of serious looting.
Before being returned, the 26 works were shown together one last time at the Parisian museum of Quai Branly, seen by “15,000 people in seven days”.
According to experts, 85 to 90% of African heritage is outside the continent. Since 2019, in addition to Benin, six countries – Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Chad, Mali, Madagascar – have submitted restitution requests.
Paris must soon return to Côte d’Ivoire the Djidji Ayokwe, famous drum speaker of the Ebriés, long claimed by Abidjan. The restitution of works of art looted from Africa is a highlight of the “new relationship” that the French head of state intends to establish with the continent.