Colonial incursion : Caliphate requests return of looted artifacts, literary works

 From Umar Danladi Ado, Sokoto

Sokoto Caliphate has requested for the return of its looted his­torical artifacts by colonial mas­ters in France and United Kingdom.

This happened after decades of atrocities, enslavement, exploitation and massacre committed to people of the Caliphate in 1903 by the colonial masters

The Caliphate now seeks the re­turns of its looted historical artifacts by the colonial masters in France and United Kingdom.

A concerned group, under the aus­pices of Sokoto DNA Project, de­scribed the looted intellectual, literary works, artifacts and relics as objects that were deeply rooted in the minds of the descendants of women, children and the wounded persons who were indiscriminately killed or executed for their resistance to the colonial inva­sion.

In a declaration statement on the looted relics, copied to the Minister

 of Information and National Orienta­tion, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, signed by a member of the National Assem­bly, Hon. Dr. Balarabe Shehu Kakale Shuni and leaders of Five Non Gov­ernmental Organizations (NGOs) and made available to journalists in Sokoto, the group requested for quick intervention of the minister to affect return of the said historical objects.

The statement reads: “There were deliberate colonial policies made to subvert and deny our people contex­tual and functional education, health­care, commerce and housing as well as scanty employment opportunities through deliberate strangulation of the Caliphate’s cottage industries.”

The concerned group, acting un­der the aegis of the project tagged Sokoto DNA, placed on notice the countries responsible for the invasion and in possession of the Caliphate’s intellectual, literary works, artifacts and relics as Republic of France and United Kingdom (UK).

The group requested for the uncon­ditional return for restitution of all his­torical objects to their various original owners of the Caliphate.

The letter also seeks apology from the colonial masters for unwarranted and unjustifiable atrocities committed against people of the Caliphate.

The group also accused the two for­mer colonial masters, the Republic of France and Unites Kingdom as mainly responsible for the invasion and illegal possession of the looted Caliphate’s historical artifacts.

“The literary works are our ir­revocable, unchain changeable and distinctive DNA, an important part of our past, our history, our heritage, our pride and symbols of heroism and sacrifice of our forefathers and allow­ing them to relinquish in the museums of other nations robs us of our history, our pride and our divinity as a people,” said the group.

“We are working with partners and institutions to create a catalogue of Sokoto Caliphate’s cultural, literary and religious red list, that will contain all artifacts, relics and memorabilia looted from the Sokoto Caliphate and its Emirates during and after the ille­gal and unjustifiable invasion and co­lonialism.

“Our resolved in launching this campaign is powered by the good peo­ple of the Caliphate and its Emirates and further strengthened by UNES­CO and ECOWAS conventions,” the group added.

According to the statement, the historical relics were at various points looted or seized in places like Sokoto, Gwandu, Sifawa, Argungu, Zazzau, Adamawa, Kano, Katsina, Gombe, Katagum, Binji, Kilgori, Yabo and Rikina/Dabagin Ardon Shuni among many other libraries of the Caliphate.

“What is it worth to seek the search and return of Caliphate flags, symbols and other insignia of the state authority, seals and staff of of­fice?

“The answer is, they are priceless and timeless pieces of high intellec­tual, science, technology and crafts­manship and advance social admin­istrative and structure of governance of the people of the Caliphate, now and forever,” it added.