The Case for the Restitution of the Commemorative Lefem King Statue

Zoe Gan

Colonial Extractions of African Cultural Treasures. Professor Joel Cabrita July 31, 2024

Abstract

With more countries calling for the return of African art back to their communities of origin, the discourse on the restitution of art has become increasingly relevant and vital. The paper argues for the restitution of the Commemorative Lefem King from the Musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac in France to the Bangwa people of Cameroon. The paper considers the importance of the Commemorative Lefem King as a living intermediary between the reigning king and the ancestral king it represents, helping to establish royal lineage and legitimacy. It also considers the statue's sacred and ritually exclusive context, which is still practiced by the Bangwa people today, making it a rare and vital power symbol vital to its native community. By demonstrating how the statue serves as a custodian of royal memory, the paper argues that the return of objects such as the Commemorative Lefem King statue is crucial for reconstructing the identity of future generations of Cameroonian and Bangwa youth. Finally, the paper constructs a provenance where the Commemorative Lefem King was extracted by German colonial agents, most likely Conrau, within the context of unbalanced colonial power relations that accompanied the German expansion into Cameroon's Grassfields region. The iniquitous conditions tied to the acquisition of the statue suggest the absence of complete and equitable terms of consent, therefore meeting the restitution guidelines proposed by Sarr and Savoy in their report commissioned by President Macron.

Commemorative Lefem King Statue, 19th Century, hardwood, Musée du quai Branly,Paris.