By Joan Fullah
Sierra Leone has received a Nomoli artefact returned from the Netherlands, marking what officials described as a significant step in efforts to reclaim African cultural heritage held overseas.
The handover ceremony took place at the Sierra Leone National Museum on Thursday and was attended by government officials, traditional leaders and representatives of cultural institutions.
Nomoli artefacts are ancient stone figures originating from Sierra Leone and are closely linked to spiritual beliefs, ancestral worship and the cultural identity of indigenous communities, particularly among the Mende and Limba peoples.
The ceremony was chaired by Ishmael Kamara, Assistant Director of Culture, Creativity and Innovation at the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, who described the return as an act of restitution and national healing.
A traditional libation was poured by Chief Matthew Jiabao Young, Mende Tribal Head for the Western Area and Secretary General of the Council of Tribal Heads, before the artefact was formally handed over to the National Museum.
Babah Tarawally, a Sierra Leonean journalist based in the Netherlands who facilitated the return, said the artefact formed part of the country’s cultural identity and thanked Dutch authorities and Sierra Leone’s Monuments and Relics Commission for their cooperation.
The Consul of the Netherlands, Binta Jalloh, welcomed the return, saying the artefact belonged in Sierra Leone and should be preserved for future generations.
Officials from the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs and the Monuments and Relics Commission said the return was timely, noting that 2026 has been declared Sierra Leone’s Year of Culture and Creativity. They described the event as a milestone in cultural restitution and international cooperation.
