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A significant piece of Sierra Leone’s spiritual and historical heritage has been restored as the Sierra Leone National Museum hosted a ceremony to mark the return of a Nomoli artifact from the Netherlands, highlighting a major step in the global movement for the restitution of African cultural heritage.
Nomoli artifacts are ancient stone figures originating from Sierra Leone, deeply tied to the spiritual beliefs, ancestral worship, and cultural identity of indigenous communities, particularly 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 occasion as an act of restitution and national healing.
Sierra Leonean journalist Babah Tarawally, based in the Netherlands, expressed pride in returning what he called part of Sierra Leone’s “DNA” and thanked both the Dutch authorities and the Monuments and Relics Commission for their support.
The Consul of the Netherlands, Madam Binta Jalloh, applauded her government’s decision to return the artifact, noting that it rightfully belongs to Sierra Leone and should be preserved for future generations.
The event was hailed as a landmark moment of national pride, reconciliation, and strengthened international cultural cooperation. Officials from the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, the Sierra Leone National Museum, and the Monuments and Relics Commission were also in attendance.
