Keypoints:
- 90 sacred artefacts returned from Italy
- Items now housed at Gabon’s national museum
- Ceremony marks national pride and reconciliation
IN a historic act of cultural restitution, Gabon on May 28, 2025, welcomed home 90 sacred artefacts that had been held abroad for decades. The return of the items — including ritual masks, reliquaries, drums, and ceremonial instruments — was hailed as a powerful moment of national pride and historical healing.
The handover was commemorated in a state ceremony in Libreville led by Vice President Dr Séraphin Moundounga, and attended by top government officials, traditional leaders, artists and members of the public.
‘This is not just the return of art — it is the return of our memory, our identity, our soul,’ Dr Moundounga said.
Cultural treasures find their way home
The artefacts originate from Gabon’s diverse cultural groups, including the Fang, Punu, Vili, Kota, Teke, Nzebi, Kwelé, and Ambété peoples. Among them is the tsogho horn, a sacred object historically used to signal community events and ceremonies.
For decades, the collection had been part of the private ‘Art premier du Gabon’ collection in Sanremo, Italy, assembled by French collector Paul Bory and his partner Françoise Aubrun, who lived in Gabon during the 1960s. While many of the items were acquired legally, their cultural and spiritual value far outweighs any transaction.
An agreement signed in January 2024 between the Gabonese government and the collectors set the stage for the voluntary repatriation of the artefacts. Today, many are estimated to be worth millions of dollars.
National Museum opens its doors
The works are now on permanent display at the National Museum of Arts, Rites and Traditions in Libreville. Museum officials say the return allows Gabonese citizens — especially younger generations — to reconnect with their ancestors through the physical remnants of their civilisation.
‘These relics are fragments of who we are,’ said Dr Armande Longo, wife of Gabon’s Minister of Culture. ‘Their return is a gift across generations — one that honours the skill and spirit of those who created them.’
Reclaiming dignity through diplomacy
The return of the collection adds momentum to the growing African movement for cultural restitution. In recent years, countries such as Benin, Nigeria and Egypt have secured the repatriation of looted or displaced artefacts from European museums and private collections.
Unlike some contested cases, Gabon’s artefacts were returned through peaceful negotiation and mutual agreement — a model the government says it hopes will inspire similar efforts across the continent.
Restoring the past, shaping the future
The artefacts, which include bells, horns, pianos, books, statues, and ritual boards, are of immeasurable cultural value. Many have no precise creation date, but their symbolism and craftsmanship reflect the deep spiritual traditions of Gabon’s peoples.
‘These are not just museum pieces — they are living witnesses to our civilisation,’ said Vice President Moundounga. ‘In welcoming them back, we are not just preserving our past. We are building a more dignified and united future.’
