Benin’s bronzes: The long road to returning looted colonial art

Statues, thrones, and ceremonial hatchets are among the 26 artefacts on display at the Quai Branly museum in Paris. The week-long exhibition offers visitors the chance to see the treasures looted from the Kingdom of Dahomey before they return to Benin after 130 years in France. We learn more about the political pressure and cultural policies that brought about this historic restitution.

The different levels of government have agreed to return Benin bronzes to Nigeria. It is up in the air whether they can be exhibited as planned at the Humboldt Forum.

Dozens of artefacts are finally back home in Benin after they were looted by French colonisers more than a century ago. Also, African voices at COP26 call for a stronger stance from richer nations who are held responsible for most of the pollution driving the climate emergency. And African content creators put TikTok on the spot. The continent's online creators say the platform has overlooked them in the creation of a payment fund that only caters to US and EU influencers.

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A resolution is imminent in the dispute over more than 1,000 bronzes stolen from the former Kingdom of Benin. Germany wants to return all the objects to Nigeria.

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Nigerians celebrated the homecoming of Benin bronzes pillaged during the colonial era. It comes as African leaders are pushing for the restitution of the artifacts from Europe.

In Benin, artefacts that were looted by French forces during the 19th century and formally returned to their homeland last year are about to go on display. The objects include sculptures, masks and small pieces of furniture for ceremonial uses. FRANCE 24's Georja Calvin-Smith reports from the capital Cotonou. Also, French lawmakers pave the way for artworks stolen by the Nazis and currently on display in French museums to be returned to their rightful heirs.

After a 130 years away, 26 stolen artefacts from Benin are finally being displayed at home after having been returned by France.The pieces were looted by soldiers from the kingdom of Dahomey in 1892 and are now taking pride of place at the presidential palace.

After years of discussion and agitation, Germany has agreed to return looted African colonial artefacts, including over 1,000 Benin Bronzes that will be repatriated to Nigeria.

Josiane Hodonou's small plantain flour business has almost doubled its production since the start of the war in Ukraine. With wheat flour becoming hard to find and expensive, some people see the cooking banana as a viable alternative.

Northern Benin is at the center of a security crisis which has moved south from the Sahel. Poverty and climate change have provided fertile ground for criminals and extremists.