President John Dramani Mahama today urged the swift and unconditional return of African human remains kept in museums and institutions overseas, arguing that such possession violates human dignity.
Speaking at a high‑level side event on the restitution of cultural properties beside the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, the former president stressed that human remains should not be treated as museum objects or scientific specimens.
Mahama cited the case of King Badu Bonsu II of Ahanta, executed by Dutch forces in 1838 after rebelling against colonial rule. The king’s head was taken to the Netherlands, preserved in formaldehyde for roughly 170 years before being returned to Ghana in 2009.
"Human remains are not collectibles. They are not specimens. They are our ancestors," Mahama said, insisting that legal and administrative hurdles should not bar African states from reclaiming ancestral remains.
The former president argued that the repatriation of human remains should serve as the starting point for a broader international framework on restitution, calling for immediate action from the international community.
