Reps seek return of Sokoto Caliphate’s literary works, artifacts seized by colonialists

The House of Representatives has called for the return of all intellectual literary works and artifacts of the Sokoto Caliphate and its emirates looted and seized during the colonial era invasions.

This followed the adoption of a motion moved by Shehu Balarabe Kakale at the plenary on Wednesday.

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Reps seek return of Sokoto Caliphate’s literary works, artifacts seized by colonialists

Presenting the motion, the lawmaker recalled that, there was large-scale exploitation, seizures, looting, and destruction of literary works, artifacts, and heritage articles by the European colonial invaders against the people of Sokoto Caliphate and its emirates before 1903 and the decades that followed which he said was an unforgettable painful history of the people of the caliphate.

According to him, the colonial invaders had indiscriminately violated the rights of men, women, and children and plundered valuables such as the caliphate flags, symbols, seals, and other insignia of state authority, and Staff.

The lawmaker said, “British Universities, Archives, National Library and National Records, the National Museum, Musee Du Louvre Paris, Army Museum France, Musee Du Louvre Paris, and in the North-West University of Illinois in the United States of America are alleged to be in illegal possession of the Caliphate’s historical/religious documents and artifacts such as Manuscripts, Reports, Letters and Research Works,” he said.