Otumfuo receives 28 more 19th century gold ornaments and regalia from South Africa

In the most recent significant restoration of Ghana’s cultural treasures, 28 historic gold ornaments and regalia will be presented to Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, this weekend.

The 19th-century items are representations of leadership, chiefdom, and royal lineage.

They were first made by Asante court craftspeople and include gold weights, rings, necklaces, linguist staffs, swords, and palace security locks.

The artifacts were authenticated by Ivor Agyeman-Duah, a historian and associate director of the Manhyia Palace Museum.

“This is a significant cultural moment for Ghana and Africa,” he told AFP in an interview.

“Masterpieces of gold smithery reflecting the sophistication of Asante court governance” is how he characterized the regalia.

The presentation will be held at a mini-durbar at Kumasi’s Manhyia Palace on the 100th anniversary of the king’s grand-uncle Nana Agyeman Prempeh I’s return from exile.

According to a palace statement, Wavel Ramkalawan, the visiting president of the Seychelles, will also be honored during the ceremony. It is anticipated that prominent government representatives, including President Akufo-Addo, will attend the event.

The restitution, according to Agyeman-Duah, comes after Otumfuo directly asked AngloGold Ashanti, a mining corporation in South Africa, to return the artifacts earlier this year.

Prior to being moved to the Javett Art Centre at the University of Pretoria, the items were a part of the company’s Gold of Africa Museum in Cape Town, South Africa.

According to the statement, the Reserve Bank of South Africa authorized their repatriation to Kumasi three weeks ago.

The items will be kept in a brand-new, contemporary gallery that the Manhyia Palace Museum has added.

Lawrence Kwasi Prempeh, the Manhyia Palace’s Deputy Chief of Staff, cautioned that the Palace would not allow any political party signs on the durbar grounds while giving more details on what to expect this weekend.

“The President of Seychelles will lead a delegation to the Manhyia Palace as a special guest, alongside the Prime Minister of Eswatini. The President of the Republic will also be in attendance. We wish to emphasize that no party paraphernalia will be permitted at the event. This is a national occasion, and we must approach it with the appropriate decorum and respect”, he stated.

Source: Ghanatodayonline.com