France finalizes the return of the 26 treasures of Benin in the presence of Macron and Talon
Pieces from the kingdom of Dahomey, at the Quai Branly Museum, in Paris, November 23, 2018 © AP Photo / Michel Euler
Text by: Pierre Firtion Follow
5 mins
The deed of transfer of ownership of the 26 works that will be returned by France to Benin is signed on Tuesday, November 9 at the Elysee Palace in the presence of Presidents Emmanuel Macron and Patrice Talon, concluding a process initiated four years ago.
Once the document is signed, a cargo plane leaves for Cotonou where the pieces are expected Wednesday, November 10, including three large royal statues bocio, thrones, seats and portable altars.
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In November 2017, in Ouagadougou, French President Emmanuel Macron pledged to make temporary or final restitution of African heritage possible within five years.
In March 2018, he then laid the groundwork for this act of restitution during the reception at the Elysee Palace
of the President of Benin
:
"
I hope that we want to work now with you, dear President Talon, on a greater circulation of works between our two countries
", said Emmanuel Macron then.
Seven months later, on November 23, 2018, the Élysée announced the restitution of the 26 works in Benin: in particular, coins from the former kingdom of Danhomè, looted by Colonel Dodds during the sack of the Abomey Palace in 1892, will be returned. The announcement is made on the day when academics Bénédicte Savoy and Felwine Sarr hand in the report Emmanuel Macron commissioned them on the subject.
For Felwine Sarr, the announcement is a founding act: “
It really is a historic moment, because history is starting to move now.
And what is at stake is absolutely fundamental, so it is symbolic but it will have an impact in the other fields of the relationship.
"
The process then begins.
Cotonou asks France to support the construction in Abomey of a museum capable of accommodating the works.
Missions from the French development agency and the Ministries of Culture and Foreign Affairs are going to the site in 2019.
Paris passes a specific law for refunds
To allow this restitution, a specific law is voted a year later by the French parliament, on December 17, 2020. And even if the senators, who wish to better frame the policy of restitution, refused to vote the text, the return of these 26 pieces in Benin made consensus.
The
process ultimately lasted nearly three years
.
Between blockages, delays and others, everything will not have been so simple.
Which hardly surprises art historian Bénédicte Savoy:
All the cases of restitution in history have shown that, when countries which have been dispossessed, reclaim their heritage, at first, they do not know exactly how to manage it.
And that's normal, we know how to manage an asset when we have it.
For Cotonou, the start of other processes
France rightly wished to help the Beninese authorities to highlight the returned coins. The French development agency has thus made a loan of 25 million euros for the construction of the museum and the renovation of the Abomey palaces. To this was added a donation of 10 million for technical support and training, awareness-raising and training actions will also be undertaken.
That is to say a museum cooperation which Aurélien Agbénonci, the Beninese Minister of Foreign Affairs recently welcomed: "
This is the place to salute the spirit of mutual understanding and the constructive dialogue which prevailed between the Beninese and French administrations concerned. throughout this process, and which made it possible, in the face of obstacles and controversy of all kinds, to increase the scope of our convergences rather than that of an inevitable divergence.
"
►
To read also: Restitution of royal treasures: "It's a victory for the new dialogue between Benin and France" [International guest]
For the Beninese authorities, these returns do not however mark the end of a process but
the beginning of a new story
which must eventually materialize through other restitutions.
José Pliya, responsible for heritage and tourism in the Beninese presidency: "
We are continuing the effort so that, beyond the first effort of 26 pieces, those which have been looted by other soldiers and those taken by colonial administrators are also discussed and form part of the restitution project.
We always insist on this idea of restitution, circulation, and the statue of the god Gou really remains a major quest on which we continue to work.
"
While waiting for further returns, the 26 works of the royal treasury of Abomey will return to their country of origin on Wednesday 10 November.
A ceremony is planned to celebrate their arrival on Beninese soil.
Special precautions for each work
Alain Godonou, director of the museum program at the National Agency for the Promotion of Heritage and Tourism Development (ANPT) in Benin, explains the precautions taken to receive the pieces.
He will play a central role in monitoring these works, in particular by noting their condition.
Alain Godonou, director of the museum program at the National Agency for the Promotion of Heritage and Tourism Development (ANPT) in Benin, explains the precautions taken to receive the pieces.
Pierre Firtion
After a period of acclimatization, they will be exhibited at the Palace of the Presidency.
But they will only return to their setting - the museum of the epic Amazons and the kings of Danhome - in about three years.
They will be exhibited before that at the Portuguese fort of Ouidah.
Beninese shared
According to Calixte Biah, Curator of the Ouidah History Museum, the precautions taken for each work take into account the specificities of each of them.
“
There is no one work that takes precedence over the other,
” he says, dismantling the works in Paris.
Calixte Biah, curator of the Ouidah History Museum, explains that each piece is considered important
Sylvie Koffi
While waiting for their arrival, the Beninese are already very divided on the subject of these restitutions.
Many Beninese accuse France of returning only part of the works, but others are delighted.
Faced with the return of 26 pieces from France, Beninese people divided between mistrust and joy
Jean-Luc Aplogan
►
To listen and read also: JM Abimbola: the restitution of these Beninese works of art "is only the beginning" [Guest Africa]
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