politics
February 23, 2026
France hands back stolen colonial-era artifact to West African country
The Djidji Ayokwe, or ‘talking’ drum, has been returned to Ivory Coast after it was looted by the French troops nearly a century ago
TL;DR
- France returned the Djidji Ayokwe, a sacred 'talking' drum, to Ivory Coast.
- The drum was confiscated by French colonial troops in 1916 and held in French museums.
- UNESCO supported the repatriation process and allocated funds for preservation.
- The return of the artifact is part of a broader European debate on colonial-era collections and efforts to restore African heritage.
- This follows France's earlier return of 26 artifacts to Benin in 2021.
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