France Returns Djidji Ayôkwé Talking Drum Looted by French Colonial Troops to Ivory Coast

The Djidji Ayôkwé, known as the “talking drum,” has been returned to Abidjan after more than a century in France: Le Monde reports that the artifact “finally landed in Abidjan” and describes officials and traditional chiefs gathering on the morning of Friday, March 13 to welcome it.

“An emotional return The talking drum Djidji Ayôkwé, a major piece of the Ébrié ethnic heritage, arrived in Abidjan on Friday, where it was greeted with singing and tam-tams by members of the community”

africaradio

Anadolu Ajansı and tv5monde also note that the sacred drum “returned to Ivory Coast this Friday” and “made its return to Abidjan on Friday.”

africaradio

Dawn likewise records that the drum “arrived back in Ivory Coast on Friday, in the latest repatriation of stolen artefacts.”

The object is monumental in scale and sacred in purpose: multiple outlets describe the drum as more than three metres long and weighing around 400–430 kilograms.

Anadolu Ajansı calls it “more than three meters long and weighing about 430 kilograms,” and lecourrier.vn gives its dimensions as “three meters long and weighing 430 kg.”

Anadolu Ajansı

Tv5monde specifies it as “more than three meters long and weighing 430 kg, made of iroko wood,” and both The Independent and Dawn report the drum’s size and weight in similar terms.

The drum’s history is tied to colonial violence and local resistance: several sources state it was taken by French forces in 1916.

“ABIDJAN: The Djidji Ayokwe “talking drum”, which was looted by French colonial troops in 1916 and taken to France, arrived back in Ivory Coast on Friday, in the latest repatriation of stolen artefacts”

Dawn

Anadolu Ajansı, tv5monde and Dawn explicitly say it was confiscated or looted in 1916, and The Independent and Le Monde note the drum was taken more than a century ago and later displayed in French museums.

Reports also record that the drum was used locally to warn communities of forced labour and to mobilise fighters, linking the object to acts of resistance rather than mere decorative art.

The arrival was marked by an official ceremony and strong local emotion: Le Monde, Anadolu Ajansı and tv5monde describe French and Ivorian officials and traditional Atchan (Ébrié) chiefs gathering at Abidjan airport, with traditional songs, tamtams and dances.

Le Monde quotes Culture Minister Françoise Remarck calling it “a historic day, a moment of justice and remembrance,” while Anadolu Ajansı and Dawn report the minister hailed the restitution as “historic” and tied it to commitments by President Alassane Ouattara and diplomacy with France.

Le Monde.fr

The restitution is presented by multiple outlets as part of a wider, ongoing effort — and the sources diverge slightly on timelines and framing.

“France will return to Côte d’Ivoire the sacred drum Djidji Ayôkwé, the first object on a list of 148 works claimed by the country”

lecourrier.vn

Several pieces state this drum is the first item returned to Côte d'Ivoire from a list of 148 objects the country seeks, with lecourrier.vn and The Independent noting it is “the first object on a list of 148 works claimed by the country” and that “the Ivorian culture ministry is seeking the restitution of 148 artefacts from France.”

lecourrier.vn

Tv5monde and Dawn emphasize legal and parliamentary steps in France, saying the drum “was officially restituted by Paris on February 20, after the passage of a specific law” and that it “was officially handed over on Feb 20 after France’s parliament approved removing the artefact from the national museum collections.”

Le Monde states the process “started in 2018” when Ivory Coast requested the return, while tv5monde says the broader repatriation process was “initiated in 2017,” a discrepancy the sources present and that should be noted.