Lord Paul Yaw Boateng has called on the British Museum to take concrete steps towards returning cultural artefacts taken from their countries of origin, including Asante gold, Ethiopian Tabots and the Benin Bronzes.
Speaking at a Chatham House event on October 15, 2026, the British Labour Party politician and member of the House of Lords criticised the museum’s record on restitution, describing it as the “largest depository of stolen goods known to man”.
He urged supporters of the institution and the wider public to put pressure on its trustees to move beyond discussions about reparative justice and take meaningful action.
Lord Boateng argued that although the museum had spoken about addressing historical injustices, it had yet to do enough to ensure the return of cultural treasures to the communities and countries from which they were taken.
He specifically called for the full return of Ethiopian Tabots, Benin Bronzes and Asante gold, which hold significant historical, cultural and spiritual value for their respective societies.
His comments were made during an event titled “Reckoning or Rhetoric: Is Now the Time for Reparative Justice on the Global Stage?”
The programme was organised by Chatham House’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Working Group to mark Black History Month.
