Gavua, pan-Africanist and Principal Investigator, African Cultural Heritage Programme (ACHP), University of Ghana, said: “The process of restitution has begun, but restitution is not limited to retaining or repatriating our entities”.
“It is a process that will be completed in the long run when we repair damages that have been caused not only to Africans but also to Europeans,” he said.
Progress in the restitution of African cultural heritage items has made notable strides, with several countries successfully reclaiming artefacts and human remains from international institutions. However, the path to full restitution remains a complex challenge.
Recent successes include the return of human remains to Namibia and artefacts to Nigeria, Republic of Benin, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.
Professor Gavua said that the returned artefacts would serve as valuable educational resources to re-educate the public about the importance of preserving cultural heritage.
