Human remains are not collectibles, specimens – Mahama demands restitution of Africa’s heritage

President John Dramani Mahama has urged the return of African cultural heritage and human remains held in museums and private collections outside Africa. He argued that the continued possession of these items was not merely about ownership, but about dignity, identity and justice. Addressing a High-Level Side Event at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, Mahama emphasized that generations of Africans had been separated from crucial parts of their history and heritage.

"Human remains are not collectibles," he reiterated, "They are our ancestors. They are our fathers, mothers, kings, and elders." He highlighted the despoilation of African heritage through conquest, punitive expeditions, and colonial violence, which has led to the scattering of these items across global museums and collections. Mahama pointed to the 1874 brutality against the Asante Royal Palace in Kumasi by British forces, noting that some Ghanian heritage had been returned, including the Mpomponsuo sword in 2024.

He also recalled King Badu Bonsu II of Ahanta, executed by Dutch authorities in 1838, whose head was sent to the Netherlands for scientific studies. The King's remains were eventually repatriated to Ghana in 2009. Mahama believes such examples underscore the need for restitution to extend beyond cultural artifacts to human remains held overseas.

He stressed that the process is not about legal ownership, but a fundamental matter of shared human dignity. The President urged that African artifacts and remains should be returned to the communities and institutions to which they rightfully belong, considering them integral to living traditions rather than mere relics of the past.

Mahama's plea is part of Ghana's broader campaign for reparatory justice, following the UN's adoption of a resolution recognizing the trafficking and enslavement of Africans and calling for action on the lingering impacts of that history.