Campaign to repatriate Ngonnso statue highlights cultural sovereignty and colonial legacies
Original framing: “Sylvie Njobati: “The campaign #BringBackNgonnso isn’t just for my grandfather, it is for my people too”” — Amnesty International
The Ngonnso statue represents a living link to the Nso people’s spiritual and cultural identity. Indigenous knowledge systems view such objects as essential to community cohesion and ancestral continuity, which is often overlooked in Western museum practices.
The #BringBackNgonnso campaign is a powerful example of how the struggle for cultural repatriation is intertwined with historical injustice, indigenous sovereignty, and global power imbalances.
The Nso people’s fight to reclaim Ngonnso reflects a broader movement to restore dignity and agency to communities whose cultural heritage was stolen during colonial rule. By centering indigenous perspectives, supporting community-led solutions, and reforming institutional practices, we can move toward a more just and equitable global cultural landscape. The return of Ngonnso would not only heal a specific wound but also set a precedent for future repatriation efforts worldwide.