Sovereign State Plans To Ensure Return ‘Stolen’ Artifacts To Africa

 Ita  Akpan

Calabar

Plans are underway by a Sovereign State, State of Africa Diaspora, SOAD to collaborate with other agencies to ensure that Artifacts illegally taken away from African Museums to  other countries are returned to their original destinations in Africa.

Amb. Dr. Evelyn Eyo-Honesty Ogbogu, the Resident Ambassador, State of African Diaspora made this known in Calabar during a party to honour her by her community, Adohose Otu Effiom community, Biquo Town Calabar.

Evelyn who is also doubled as the Deputy Dean of Ambassadors (West Africa), South West and African Forum Federation (SWAFF) who was at home to sensitize her people on her plan of work, opined,  that the modalities has been put in place and that their agency is saddle with the responsibility of ensuring that all the historical artifacts found in any part of the globe that is belonging to Africa that was taken away illegally either to Canada, America or Asia, she said they will ensure that such artifacts are returned to Africa their original origin.

“We Will repatriate all historical artifacts taken away from South South, South East and indeed all the all the geo-political regions of the country back to museums in the country.

“It’s the reason that the Organization has been calling on communities particularly in Nigeria who feel that their historical artifacts illegally taken to other countries of the world should apply to the organization for assistance.

“We are passionate and ready to give assistance to such communities.

“We did that and artifacts belonging to some communities in Edo state were returned back to the the original owners in Edo state.

“We are not tired of advancing that course,” stressing that every piece of artifacts that are of historical interest to communities in the country would be retrieved in as much as the communities write to the organization indicating interest to get their artifacts back.

“As long as kingdoms recognizes the fact that artifacts were stolen from their kingdoms and taken to other continents our organization will  assist them to retrieve these  historical remains.

Explaining further, Dr. Evelyn said, “The organization already have a research team working  round the clock checking which artifact  belongs  to a particular country and I wish to state categorically that such artifacts will come home to their owners with cash compensation attach to them to the community of origin”

“Luckily every artifact that was taken from Africa is branded and names this makes the job easy”. The resident ambassador maintained.

“For those who are in doubt let me announced to you that Edo state has received some of their artifacts with about 20 percent of the money value.”

SOAD is a sovereign agency operating in Nigeria, under the auspices of Sovereign State, State of Africa in Diaspora.

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From left to right Ambassador Dr. Obiora Ogbogu, at the centre is Ann. Dr. Evelyn Ogbogu flanked by traditional rulers of Biquo Town Council Calabar after the grand reception in her Honour.