The UK is sending some of Ghana’s “crown jewels” back home, 150 years after looting them from the court of the Asante king. A gold peace pipe is among 32 items returning under long-term loan deals, the BBC has revealed.

As special adviser to Ghana’s culture minister, 2022 Dan David Prize Winner Nana Oforiatta Ayim has been interviewed by the BBC about a new deal, which will see the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum lend a total of 32 looted objects to Ghana as part of a three-year deal.

Speaking to the BBC, Oforiatta Ayim explained that the items are “not just objects, they have spiritual importance as well. They are part of the soul of the nation. It’s pieces of ourselves returning.”