Baden-Württemberg owns many art objects that were stolen from their countries of origin during the colonial period. The country is open to return. After objects received by Namibia and Nigeria, there are now demands from Cameroon.
Stuttgart (dpa / lsw) – After the agreement on the return of stolen art objects to Namibia and Nigeria, further African objects such as necklaces and hoods from today’s Cameroon are being discussed in Stuttgart. Artist and activist Sylvie Njobati has submitted an official request for the return of several pieces attributed to the Nso people of northwestern Cameroon, according to the Linden Museum. The application is available from the Ministry of Science, said the director of the State Museum of Ethnology, Ines de Castro, of the German Press Agency.
According to the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, the museum has a total of around 45 objects from the region in its inventory. It is initially unclear how many pieces from the Stuttgart collection are involved in Njobati’s claim. For four years she has been trying to return looted items from German museums to her people.
As a colony, Cameroon was part of the German Empire from 1884 to 1916. However, the initially friendly contacts between the Nso and the German expeditionary forces became increasingly hostile. Ultimately, all uprisings and resistance by the Nso were put down by the Europeans, and the population had to endure a new system of taxation, administration and work.
