After more than a century, France has officially agreed to return a sacred royal drum to Côte d’Ivoire, marking a historic moment in the restitution of African cultural heritage looted during colonial times.
The drum, known locally as the “Djidji Ayokwe”, or the “talking drum,” belonged to the ancient Ebrié ethnic group and was traditionally used to transmit warnings and messages across communities. It stands as one of the most significant cultural symbols forcibly taken during France’s colonial occupation in West Africa.
The French National Assembly voted earlier this month in favor of a government bill authorizing the return of the drum to Côte d’Ivoire. This decision followed a similar vote by the French Senate in April, completing the legislative process and making the repatriation legally binding.
Once returned, the Djidji Ayokwe will be displayed at the Museum of Civilizations in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire’s economic capital, in a symbolic restoration of national heritage.
This move reflects a broader shift in European discourse around the repatriation of looted cultural artifacts, responding to increasing demands from African nations for the return of their ancestral heritage. The decision has been widely welcomed across the continent.
Clavaire Agouigou Mobio, leader of the Ebrié people, hailed the French move as a “victory for justice and historical memory.” He emphasized the drum’s spiritual and cultural importance to the community.
French President Emmanuel Macron had pledged in 2021 to return the drum along with other significant artifacts, as part of a broader initiative aimed at addressing colonial-era injustices.
Elsewhere in Africa, countries like Kenya are intensifying efforts to reclaim sacred objects belonging to the Maasai, Kikuyu, and Swahili communities, as well as archival documents and artifacts still held in European and American institutions.
The return of the Djidji Ayokwe is now seen not just as the restitution of a drum—but as the symbolic repatriation of a nation’s voice silenced by colonialism, now ready to resound once again in its rightful homeland.
