Page 75 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 27 Final

Art & Culture

corrupt deals, and kickbacks.

An African will sell his soul
for a loaf of bread and take
more than the owner’s plate.
They will create political
crises on the one hand and
engage in illegal smuggling
of African art on the other.

It has been established Artist: Naftal Momanyi. Media: Wood carving
that the high monetary
value of African arts in
the international market
is a motivating factor for Title: Mwafrika
the illegal excavation and
collection of heritage. For
instance, during Moi’s era, a
gluttonous museum official

intentionally skipped the
1970 UNESCO code and
illegally excavated Proconsul and ratified the Convention’s to the corner, he released
Africanus skeletons, an recommendations. African only 10% of the African art,
ape over fourteen million nations such as the Federal which is now exhibited at
years old, and relics of Republic of Nigeria and local sites of the National
Koitalel Arap Samoei. The Burkina Faso have tirelessly Museum of Kenya and the

man did not stop there; he petitioned the United House of Heritage, such as
facilitated the illegal export Kingdom and France to the Alan Donovan Murumbi
of excavations to the Natural respect the 1970 UNESCO Collection and Koitalel Arap
History Museum in London. codes and the return of Samoei Museum.
Currently, it has been African art. Still, the
observed that young African Mzungu takes the Mwafirika REFERENCES
legislators lack competence around and around, arguing Ogutu, W. (2023). The Future of
in effectively debating how the artworks were Return of the African Artefacts:
matters concerning African acquired, double ownership, A Review of African Union (AU)

art, among others. and their fragile status. Vision 2063 on Africa with a
They are very good at Strong Cultural Identity Common
Inclusion: I must say that the arguments, citing legislation, Heritage, Values and Ethics East
Mzungu is a clever man who and refereeing to mutual African Journal of Arts and Social
still holds approximately agreement treaties under the Sciences, 6(2), 356-362. https://
80% of African arts. When Joint International Council doi.org/ 10.37284/eajass.6.2.1605
asked why, he says Africans of Museums (ICOM). When CHICAGO

refused to enforce the law the Mzungu was pushed

ISSUE 27 | MAY 2024 75