After more than a century away, Côte d’Ivoire has welcomed back the Djidji Ayokwe, a sacred “talking drum” seized by French colonial troops in 1916 and returned to the country earlier this year.
More than three metres long and weighing 430 kilograms, the drum served the Ebrie community as a means of communication. It was used to relay messages, signal danger and call community members together. After a parade through Abidjan, it was taken to its home village of Adjame, where traditional leaders and residents held ceremonies celebrating its return.
The Djidji Ayokwe is expected to be exhibited at the Museum of Civilisations in Abidjan. Its return comes as France faces mounting calls to repatriate African artefacts removed during the colonial era.
