Ghana’s Asante King Otumfuo Osei Tutu II welcomed the return of 130 artifacts from the UK and South Africa, some of which had been looted during colonial times.
Items included a wooden drum stolen by British forces in 1900, royal regalia, and ceremonial gold weights. Around 100 of the items were returned by the South African mining company AngloGold Ashanti, which had previously purchased them on the open market.
There have been tensions between the Asante people — who are descendants of the most powerful empire in the region during the 18th to 19th centuries — and AngloGold Ashanti, which has been accused of exploiting resources without helping to develop the region.
The return of the artifacts comes amid mounting pressure on Western institutions to return looted items to Africa. In March last year, two major UK museums returned 32 items to the Asante king, though only on a three-year loan.