Scholars, diplomats, cultural advocates, and members of the public gathered at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park library in Accra on March 5 for the launch of the Restitution Africa Forum, a new initiative aimed at promoting dialogue on the return of Africa’s looted cultural heritage and the broader restoration of historical dignity and identity.
The event also featured the presentation of the book Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah, Sankofa, authored by researcher and forum convenor Kwasi Nkrumah Boadi. The work revisits the political philosophy of Ghana’s founding president, Kwame Nkrumah, while drawing on the Akan concept of Sankofa as a framework for rethinking governance and cultural consciousness across Africa.
Opening the programme, moderator Dr. Portia Bansa welcomed participants, acknowledging representatives from academia, the diplomatic community, and cultural institutions, including officials from UNESCO. She noted that the gathering aimed to spark meaningful conversations about Africa’s past and the responsibility of contemporary generations to reclaim their heritage.
Broadening the Scope of Restitution
Chairing the programme, retired Professor of African Studies Pashington Obeng encouraged participants to view restitution as more than the return of artefacts taken during colonial rule. While repatriation has dominated global discussions, he stressed that restitution carries deeper intellectual and cultural implications.
“For some, it simply refers to returning cultural artefacts,” he told the audience. “But restitution should also be a process of reflection and renewal within African societies, examining our intellectual traditions and rediscovering the foundations of our institutions and social systems.”
Boadi’s book explores these ideas through Nkrumah’s political philosophy and Africa’s traditional governance systems. He argues that African societies should revisit indigenous practices of consensus-building and communal decision-making to strengthen democratic governance. Drawing on the Sankofa philosophy, Boadi suggests that looking back to reclaim valuable elements of the past is essential for shaping a grounded and authentic future.
The book also revisits historical debates within Ghana’s nationalist movement, including ideological disagreements between Nkrumah and J. B. Danquah in the late colonial period. One debate concerned the proposed symbolism for the United Gold Coast Convention in 1948, when Danquah suggested the two-headed crocodile, Funtum Denkyem, as a symbol of political unity. Nkrumah reportedly rejected it as representing conflicting interests and instead championed the eagle. In Boadi’s reinterpretation, however, the two-headed crocodile becomes a metaphor for consensus and shared destiny, illustrating how diverse perspectives can coexist within a unified political framework.
Restitution Beyond Material Objects
The forum also highlighted the broader global debate over returning African cultural heritage taken during colonial rule. On behalf of UNESCO’s representative in Ghana, Edmond Moukala emphasised that restitution is increasingly seen not only as the recovery of objects but also as the restoration of dignity, identity, and collective memory.
“Today, the discourse on restitution—whether of objects, knowledge, or shared histories—goes beyond material treasures,” the statement said. “It speaks to the restoration of dignity, memory, and identity disrupted through colonial expropriation and illicit trafficking of cultural property.”
UNESCO notes that more than 70% of Africa’s ancient cultural objects remain outside the continent, often held in museums and private collections abroad. “For centuries, vast portions of Africa’s cultural heritage were displaced, looted, or taken under exploitative conditions, severing communities from their tangible links to history and tradition,” the statement added.
Intellectual and Psychological Dimensions
Participants further emphasised that restitution must include intellectual and psychological aspects. Colonial rule disrupted Africa’s knowledge systems and education, creating lingering dependence on Western frameworks.
Professor Kodzo Gavua, Lead Investigator of the Restitution Africa Forum, observed that many African academic institutions still rely heavily on foreign intellectual traditions, sometimes at the expense of indigenous knowledge. He argued that restitution should therefore also focus on reviving African perspectives, restoring intellectual confidence, and integrating indigenous knowledge into scholarship and public discourse
“Restitution should not only be about returning artefacts,” one speaker said during the launch of the Restitution Africa Forum. “It should also be about restoring what we have lost, including confidence in our own knowledge systems.”
Another participant raised concerns about the tendency for discussions on Africa’s development to occur outside the continent. He argued that Africans must create their own platforms to debate the continent’s future, rather than relying on international venues to shape conversations that directly affect African societies.
“Why should Africans converge in places like China or Germany to discuss Africa’s development?” he asked. “We must create our own spaces for these conversations.”
Organisers say the Restitution Africa Forum is intended to serve as one such platform. The initiative brings together scholars, policymakers, cultural practitioners, and communities to advocate for the return of African heritage while promoting research and public dialogue on restitution.
According to its founders, the forum will collaborate with universities, cultural institutions, and governments to support restitution initiatives and raise awareness about the historical displacement of African cultural assets. It also seeks to deepen engagement with Africa’s intellectual traditions and strengthen ties between the continent and its global diaspora.
As the programme concluded, participants reflected on the symbolism of Sankofa, a guiding principle rooted in Akan philosophy. The concept teaches that societies must look to the past to retrieve valuable knowledge in order to move forward wisely.
UNESCO’s statement at the event echoed this message, describing Sankofa as an invitation to draw lessons from history to shape ethical and informed futures.
For many, the forum’s launch represented more than just the creation of a new organisation. It marked the start of a broader effort to reclaim Africa’s cultural heritage, restore historical memory, and strengthen the continent’s intellectual foundations. Guided by the legacy of Kwame Nkrumah and the philosophy of Sankofa, organisers expressed hope that the initiative will foster renewed cultural confidence and historical awareness across Africa.
