Benin has formally asked France to return 35 additional cultural objects and historical documents currently held in French collections. The request was made by President Romuald Wadagni to his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, extending a restitution process that began several years ago and gained global attention with the 2021 return of 26 royal treasures from Abomey.

A direct request to Paris

The demand covers artifacts linked to the ancient kingdoms of Benin, their rulers and their traditions. According to Cotonou, bringing these items home would fill gaps in national collections and give greater depth to the historical narrative presented in Beninese museums.

For the authorities, restitution is not merely symbolic. It is part of a broader policy aimed at allowing Benin to regain possession of key chapters of its own history and make them accessible to its people.

Building on the Talon legacy

Wadagni is following in the footsteps of his predecessor, Patrice Talon, who made cultural restitution a cornerstone of Benin’s diplomacy.

The high point of that policy came in November 2021, when 26 works from the royal treasury of Abomey were officially returned by France. The objects — including thrones, statues, recades and other emblematic pieces of the Kingdom of Dahomey — had been taken by French troops during the conquest of the kingdom in 1892.

Their homecoming stirred deep emotion across Benin. For many citizens, it was not simply the return of old objects but the recovery of a piece of their history. The handover also boosted Benin’s international standing, helping to position the country as one of Africa’s most committed voices in the debate over African heritage held in Western collections.

With the new request for 35 items, Cotonou aims to keep that momentum going and widen the scope of the movement.

Museums ready to receive the returned works

Recovering the works is only the first step. Benin also needs facilities capable of housing, conserving and showcasing them — and that is exactly where the government has been investing.

In Abomey, the Museum of the Epic of the Amazons and the Kings of Danxomè is designed to tell the story of the Kingdom of Dahomey and display part of its heritage. In Porto-Novo, the International Museum of Vodun project aims to shed light on a religious and cultural tradition often reduced abroad to stereotypes. In Ouidah, projects dedicated to the memory of slavery are set to strengthen the historic city’s place on Benin’s cultural and tourist map.

The strategy is clear: returned objects should not simply sit behind glass. They must be accompanied by scientific, educational and historical work that helps visitors understand their origin, meaning and the circumstances under which they left Benin.

Heritage as an economic driver

The policy also has an economic dimension. Benin wants culture and tourism to contribute more to national growth, and restitution fits into a wider plan to turn historic sites, traditions and museums into genuine tourist attractions.

Abomey and its royal palaces, Ouidah and its history linked to the slave trade, Porto-Novo and its architectural heritage, Vodun traditions and the cultures of the former kingdoms are all assets.

The challenge now is to create a real tourist circuit around these sites. A visitor could discover the royal palaces of Abomey, travel on to the museums of Porto-Novo, learn about the history of Ouidah and take part in cultural events such as the Vodun Days.

Around these activities, hotels, restaurants, crafts, transport, guide services and a whole local economy can develop. Heritage then becomes far more than a matter of conservation: it can become an economic sector that creates jobs and income.

Conservation and transmission challenges

Restitution raises another challenge: conservation. Ancient objects require specific conditions of temperature, humidity, security and restoration. Their return must therefore be matched by appropriate skills and resources.

Benin will also need to keep training curators, historians, restorers and heritage specialists to ensure these items are passed on to future generations. The goal is not only to recover the objects but to allow young people to make them their own.

In schools, universities and museums, these works can become teaching and research materials. They can help explain pre-colonial kingdoms, African societies, resistance to colonial conquest and the political and cultural transformations that shaped Benin’s history.

A cultural battle with global reach

The request for 35 new cultural objects from France reflects a shifting balance of power over African heritage.

For a long time, major European museums held a considerable share of objects from the African continent. Today, several African states want to regain control of their heritage and build institutions on their own soil capable of conserving and presenting it.

Benin intends to play a leading role in that movement. After the 26 royal treasures returned in 2021 under Patrice Talon, the 35 new items requested by Romuald Wadagni mark a further stage. The process could still take time, as each object requires identification, documentation and negotiation.

But the message from Cotonou is now clear: Benin’s heritage must gradually find its place back in Benin.

Recovering the past to build the future

The battle over restitution goes beyond the question of ancient objects. It touches on identity, memory and a country’s ability to tell its own story.

For Benin, the challenge is to turn each restitution into an opportunity. A work that returns must be studied, conserved, exhibited and explained. A museum that opens its doors must attract both Beninese citizens and foreign visitors. A historic site must benefit the communities living nearby.

Only then will restitution take on its full meaning. The 35 new items requested from France could become another piece of a vast project: recover the heritage, build the museums, develop tourism and make memory a resource for the future.

After securing the return of the Abomey treasures, Benin now wants to go further. The heritage battle is changing scale. And behind the negotiations between Cotonou and Paris lies a broader ambition: to make Benin’s heritage not only a legacy to preserve but also a cultural, educational and economic force serving future generations.

By Yacouba Ouédraogo — Journalist