On June 1, 2026, the Bordeaux city council rejected the bequest of 53 cultural artifacts originating from seven African countries. This decision is intended to pave the way for their return to their countries of origin, although the restitution process has not yet been completed. Gabon hopes to recover 33 pieces from the collection.
A collection housed at the Museum of Aquitaine
The collection was bequeathed to the city by a former midwife, who passed away in 2022, and who had practiced in some of the countries concerned. It includes works of art as well as Tuareg jewelry and accessories. Its value has been estimated at just over 30,000 euros.
The 53 artifacts, housed at the Musée d’Aquitaine, originate from Gabon, Nigeria, Niger, Ivory Coast, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burkina Faso, and Togo. Exchanges with the National Museum of Arts, Rites and Traditions in Libreville led to a Gabonese request for 33 pieces as early as 2023. Ivory Coast and Nigeria have also expressed interest. The four other countries have two years to state their position, according to the municipal resolution.
A return presented as historic by Gabon
A Gabonese delegation attended the municipal council meeting that ratified the rejection of the bequest. Bernice Abegue Owono, Gabon’s permanent delegate to UNESCO, hailed this as a historic step and emphasized the significance of these artifacts for maintaining ties with ancestors. If the process is successful, Gabon could become the first African country to obtain restitution from a French territory.
The mayor of Bordeaux, Thomas Cazenave, advocated for a museum policy based on responsibility, ethics, and consultation. He also believed that a museum should, beyond preservation, foster dialogue, sharing, and transmission.
A separate decision from the restitution law
On May 7, 2026, the French Parliament adopted a framework law intended to facilitate the restitution of works looted during colonization. However, the refusal of the Bordeaux bequest does not fall under this framework, as clarified in an article published by Home Bordeaux on June 2, 2026. The municipal decision therefore constitutes a separate action, undertaken specifically regarding this private collection.
Source: Home Bordeaux – news (www.bfmtv.com)
Original article: See the original source
