Dr. Rudo Sithole, Founding Director of African Museums and Heritage Restitution in Harare, Zimbabwe, has challenged the Western narrative that African nations lack the capacity to care for returned artifacts.
Speaking in an interview with Sputnik, Dr. Sithole emphasized that the return of artifacts looted during colonial times requires a comprehensive approach beyond simple repatriation.
"Proper restitution has got five stages […] So, it's a complete full package, and the five things are complementary," she noted.
Dr. Sithole outlined a five-stage process for proper restitution:
return of the artifacts (restitution or repatriation),
compensation for the theft,
rehabilitation of cultural heritage institutions,
measures to satisfy the affected communities,
and guarantees against future looting.
"When they say that Africa doesn't have the proper museum to take care of them, they should bring these things back in a reparative model, which includes compensation and rehabilitation. Rehabilitation even includes building new museums, building the capacity of our staff, the holistic care reparations," she argued.
Further, she argued that apologies and other symbolic acts of reconciliation are essential parts of the process.
Dr. Sithole countered the argument of insufficient infrastructure by highlighting the significant advancements in African museum development. She cited the Museum of Black Civilizations in Dakar, Senegal, as an example of a facility well-equipped to handle restituted materials, along with other recently constructed museums specifically designed for repatriated artifacts.