reflections on the cancellation of the queen - Afrikanet.info

- Review relevant Nigerian laws on cultural artefacts, their preservation and
offences related thereto.
Nigeria, in alliance with Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Greece, Italy, Peru as well as
other States with interest in restitution matters must bring enough pressure on
Western States so that it is finally accepted by all that stealing and looting the
cultural property of others is against the fundamental principles of international
co-operation as enshrined in the principles of the United Nations and UNESCO;
The moral principle and commandment that “Thou shalt not steal” must be
accepted as extending to all objects and property.
Nigeria must finally indicate to the rest of the world that it intends to preserve
and keep its cultural artefacts for future generations who will not need to go to
London, Paris, Berlin, New York, Chicago and other Western cities in order to
see what their forefathers have achieved in this area. Nigeria has a lot to be
proud of but unless serious measures are taken, to discourage plundering and to
recover the looted objects future generations will have very little to see and will
curse earlier generations.
Kwame Opoku 1 January, 2011
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