WATCH: Germany signs deal to finally return looted African artefacts
When it comes to all things Africa, Carol's love and passion for our continent is inspiring, so when she read that Germany has signed a deal to return looted artefacts to Nigeria, she lit up.
It's also no secret that Carol Ofori is an Africaphile.
So, why is this such a big deal? Let's take a brief look at the history!
It's also no secret that colonialism has had a significant impact on the history of Africa.
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African history has remained a mystery for a very long time because much of the continent's story has remained undocumented, relying mainly on the stories told by past generations.
The lack of documentation has led to many of Africa's most treasured artefacts being looted by countries in Europe - in particular.
African activists and historians have been fighting for centuries to retrieve these looted artefacts that were stripped from their homelands. One of these activists is Mwazulu Diyabanza. According to the Guardian, he was fined and jailed for "forcibly removing ‘pillaged’ African artefacts".
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Let's look at the history of some of Africa's looted art in the video below:
Many of Africa's treasures have been proudly showcased within museums in Europe, attracting tourists from all around the world who have marvelled at the beauty and intricacy of the art pieces.
The issue has often been that many museums - or those now working in those museums - are unaware of the brutal manner in which these artefacts were acquired.
But, slowly, decision-makers are beginning to include the families to whose ancestors these artefacts once belonged in their decision-making.
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One of the countries that has been grappling for years to accept their colonial history in Africa is Germany.
A case in point?
The Benin Bronzes.
According to Wikipedia, the Benin Bronzes were sold by the British throughout Europe in the 19th century. But now, Germany's capital, Berlin, has signed a deal formally recognising the pieces as the property of Nigeria. The art pieces are a group of a several thousand sculptures and metal plaques that once decorated the royal palace of the Kingdom of Benin. (Wikipedia)
The Kingdom of Benin is now known as Edo State, Nigeria. The collection was created in the thirteenth century by artists of the Edo people. Other sculptures in brass or bronze include portrait heads, jewellery, and smaller pieces.
But now, a deal has finally been signed by Germany and Nigeria to return the artefacts - signed in July 2022.
Watch the video below of Germany signing the deal to return stolen art to its origination - Nigeria:
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This is a major win for Africa and will without a doubt set in motion a series of deals that will hopefully see more of Africa's looted treasure returned to their country of origin.
Africa is just getting warmed up! If we look at the influence of Africa's impact on global music alone, you'll know that the best is yet to come for this incredible continent.
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