NAM TO TABLE MOTION TO ‘COMPEL’ GOV’T TO RECLAIM GAMBIAN ARTEFACTS STOLEN BY COLONIALISTS

The National Assembly Member for Central Baddibu, Sulayman Saho, is set to table a motion before the National Assembly to compel the government of The Gambia to bring back Gambian artefacts that were looted by Britain and other Western powers during the colonial rule.

Many African nations including Ghana and Nigeria are forcing their former occupiers to return historical objects and artworks expropriated during colonial periods. In 2022, Germany officially returned the first set of Benin Bronzes.  France also handed back 26 royal treasures to Benin Republic while the Netherlands in June last year returned 119 looted objects to Nigeria.

In 2022, then Tourism Minister Hamat Bah informed lawmakers that the government was taking steps to partner with Ecowas to bring back the purloined Gambian artefacts

He disclosed that investigation unearthed 86 such art works that belonged to The Gambia, were located in France alone.

Since then the government has not made any public pledge or actions on the matter.

NAM Saho’s motion titled “Restitution of Gambian Artefacts and Sacred Heritage removed during Colonial Rule, with Special Attention to Salikenni Village”, is scheduled for tabling on Thursday, 12th March.

Saho told The Standard that one of the artefacts stolen from his community was traditional drum locally called “tabulo” which he said was stolen from Baddibu and is galleried in a museum in the UK.

“This and other artefacts are found in museums in several countries in Europe and my motion is aimed at compelling the government of The Gambia to take up its full responsibility to bring back our looted assets just like other countries such as Ghana, Nigeria and Benin are doing,” Saho said.

The motion according to him is in line with African Union AU Agenda 2063 that emphasised the need for reparations and restitution of African treasures. 

Source: The Standard