Sokoto Caliphate Asks France, UK, US To Return Looted Artefacts

Sokoto Caliphate is seeking the return of its looted historical artefacts by the colonial masters of France, USA and the United Kingdom after decades of alleged atrocities, enslavement, exploitation, and massacre committed against the people in 1903.

A group, SokotoDNA Project, described the looted intellectual, literary works, artefacts, and relics as objects that were deeply rooted in the minds of the descendants, women, children, and wounded persons who were indiscriminately killed or executed for their resistance to the colonial invasion.

The statement which was copied to the minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, signed by a member of the National Assembly (NASS), Hon. Dr. Balarabe Shehu Kakale Shuni and leaders of five non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Sokoto.

According to the statement, “There was a deliberate colonial policy made to subvert and deny our people contextual functional education, healthcare, commerce, and housing as well as scanty employment opportunities through deliberate strangulation of the caliphate cottage industries.

“The SokotoDNA placed on notice the countries responsible for the invasion and in possession of the caliphate’s intellectual, literary works, artefacts, and relics as the Republic of France, USA and the United Kingdom, and requested the unconditional return for restitution of all historical objects to their various original owners of the caliphate.

“The literary works are our irrevocable, changeable and distinctive DNA, an important part of our past, our history, our heritage, our pride, and symbols of heroism and sacrifice of our forefathers and allowing them to relinquish in the museums of other nations robs us of our history, our pride and our divinity as a people.