France has officially handed back the Djidji Ayokwe, a sacred “talking drum” taken by colonial troops from Côte d’Ivoire in 1916.
The massive drum — over three metres long and weighing 430 kilograms — was used by the Ebrie people to send messages across distances. It had remained in France for more than a century.
The handover ceremony took place in Paris, where Côte d’Ivoire’s Culture Minister Françoise Remarck and France’s Culture Minister Rachida Dati marked the symbolic return. Remarck described the moment as deeply emotional, saying the drum is finally returning to its homeland.
The Djidji Ayokwe will be permanently displayed in a new museum under construction in Abidjan.
The return is part of a broader effort by France to repatriate artefacts taken during the colonial period. Thousands of African cultural objects remain in French museums, and a new law is expected to speed up mass restitutions.
The move reflects growing international pressure on European countries to return looted heritage and strengthen ties with former colonies.
SOURCE :TRT AFRICA
