British Museum 'has head in sand' over return of artefacts

Title: British Museum 'has head in sand' over return of artefacts
Author: Lanre Bakare
Media Outlet: The Guardian
Publish Date: June 21, 2019

The authors of an influential report on colonial-era artefacts, which recommended a restitution programme to transfer hundreds of items from European institutions to Africa, have criticised the British Museum for acting like “an ostrich with its head in the sand”.

(…) “There’s a symbolic dimension around property rights,” added Savoy. “If you can loan your objects you are respected in the museum world because you can impose your will and conditions. In the capitalist sphere being able to loan gives you power and it means you can impose your own rights.”