Africa-Press. <\/strong> <\/span>In a move that seems to continue the resistance against France, both alive and dead, Samori Ture was at the heart of a request made by Guinea to France days ago for the return of manuscripts and belongings that were looted during the colonial era.<\/p>\nAmong these manuscripts currently held at a military museum in Paris is a copy of the Holy Quran belonging to the man who was one of the most prominent leaders of the Guinean resistance against French colonialism until he was captured in 1898.<\/p>\n
So what is the story of Samori Ture? What about the manuscripts and belongings? What is France’s stance on their return?<\/p>\n
French Colonialism<\/b><\/p>\n
Location: West Africa, Time: the second half of the 19th century, Samori Ture emerged as one of the African Muslim leaders who operated in a vast area stretching from Niger and southern Mali to Ivory Coast and the Republic of Guinea.<\/p>\n
Some accounts suggest he was born in 1835, while others claim he was born earlier, but what is important is that the man, who worked in agriculture and trade in his youth, began in 1861 to mobilize fighters from his people and call for the establishment of an Islamic state.<\/p>\n
At that time, France had set Africa as a primary target for its colonial plans amid its competition with the British Empire, the major global power at the time.<\/p>\n
After campaigns focused on Asia, the Americas, and some Pacific islands, France turned its attention to Africa, starting from the northern and western edges, occupying Algeria, then Tunisia and Morocco, and asserting control over parts of the western coast before pushing inland.<\/p>\n
The Napoleon of Africa<\/b><\/p>\n
African sources speak of a turning point in the life of Samori Ture, who belonged to the Mandinka tribes, marked by the capture of his mother by forces loyal to a local leader, prompting him to abandon agriculture and trade to take up arms.<\/p>\n
After successfully liberating his mother, he sought to enhance his military capabilities, leveraging relationships he had formed during his trade activities, which extended to include other tribes in neighboring areas.<\/p>\n
During his journey, he clashed with the pagan tribes in the region and, within years, succeeded in becoming the leader of an Islamic empire that spanned nearly one million square kilometers, encompassing parts of what are now Guinea, Gambia, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, and Ivory Coast.<\/p>\n
To control these vast territories, Ture divided his state into dozens of provinces under 10 central administrations, each headed by a trusted man who assisted in governance and administration, ensuring that a knowledgeable religious figure was present to resolve disputes, achieve justice among people, and apply Sharia law.<\/p>\n
Ture quickly transformed from a local leader to a regional figure due to his role in resisting French colonialism, uniting tribes and blending alliances with religious legitimacy to create a unique situation in West Africa during the second half of the 19th century, characterized by a comprehensive resistance project supported by factors of religion, trade, and military strength.<\/p>\n
Samori Ture fought a series of long battles against French colonial forces. He relied on advanced military tactics, notably the “scorched earth” strategy and rapid mobility, to exhaust the enemy and hinder its advance.<\/p>\n
In September 1898, French colonizers captured Samori Ture and exiled him to Gabon, where he remained imprisoned until his death in 1900. However, his experience remains a prominent example of an individual’s transformation from trader to resistance leader, combining strategic intelligence, organizational ability, and loyalty to cultural and religious identity, making him one of the symbols of African struggle against European colonialism.<\/p>\n
His opponents referred to him as the “Napoleon of Africa,” in reference to the famous French leader Napoleon Bonaparte, who was the first emperor of France after the revolution that overthrew the monarchy in 1789.<\/p>\n
The Quran<\/b><\/p>\n
“An ancient manuscript, wrapped in a dark brown leather cover, securely closed with a thread made of natural fibers, inside which the Arabic writing appears in black on pages yellowed with age.”<\/p>\n
This is how a French newspaper described the copy of the Holy Quran that Guinea is demanding to have returned, along with other belongings of Ture, which the colonial army had seized, including his hat, military jacket, and even the hand fan he used to swat away flies.<\/p>\n
The newspaper revealed that a Guinean delegation visited the French military museum in Paris in mid-June specifically to view this copy, and that the Guinean Minister of Culture, Moussa Moise Sylla, described the visit as evidence of the high status of the resistance leader, emphasizing the necessity of returning the artifacts to their homeland.<\/p>\n
However, the current demand is much older, as in 1968, Guinean President Ahmed Sekou Toure used the tenth anniversary of his country’s independence from France to demand the return of the leader’s Quran, sword, and traditional clothing.<\/p>\n
The current request goes beyond these symbolic items to demand the return of a part of Guinea’s written heritage, including manuscripts and documents preserved in French collections.<\/p>\n
Conakry aims to gather these manuscripts in a project to establish a museum of books and alphabets, aiming to present a part of the history of writing and knowledge in the country.<\/p>\n
Demand for Looted Artifacts<\/b><\/p>\n
Many incidents indicate that European colonialism did not only loot the resources of African countries but also seized belongings belonging to their leaders and resistance figures.<\/p>\n
The Guinean demand comes in the context of an international effort to continuously return documents, manuscripts, and books that were taken from their original countries during the colonial era.<\/p>\n
French media confirm that Guinea’s request is part of a broader effort to recover written heritage located in France, where it is also demanding the return of manuscripts and documents related to the country’s history, some written in Arabic or in the Arabic script. Guinean authorities believe these represent part of the scientific, religious, and literary traditions that flourished in West Africa before the colonial era.<\/p>\n
The Guinean demand reveals a particular interest in manuscripts and documents, as it does not only target symbolic pieces associated with historical leaders but also seeks to recover books and texts that are part of the history of knowledge production in the region.<\/p>\n
The inventory process initiated by Guinea includes documents distributed across several French institutions, including religious manuscripts and works written in Arabic or in the Arabic script, as well as documents related to Guinean scholars and historical figures.<\/p>\n
French Law<\/b><\/p>\n
In April, the French National Assembly passed a long-awaited law aimed at facilitating the return of looted art from France, particularly from Africa. This law was unanimously approved by the Senate earlier this year.<\/p>\n
However, the law promised by President Emmanuel Macron years ago, which activists considered a new chapter, only covers properties looted between 1815 and 1972, that is, between the beginning of the second French colonial empire and the commencement of a UNESCO treaty that established a system for restitution under international law.<\/p>\n
This law allows for easier restitution processes by resorting to decrees in the future instead of a lengthy and uncertain legislative path, while also stipulating, according to France 24, specific controls to ensure the illicit nature of the acquisition.<\/p>\n
Find more news and analyses on Africa<\/span> on the Africa Press<\/span> website<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"By Ans Zaki Africa-Press. In a move that seems to continue the resistance against France, both alive and dead, Samori Ture was at the heart of a request made by Guinea to France days ago for the return of manuscripts and belongings that were looted during the colonial era. Among these manuscripts currently held at […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":7803,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[120],"class_list":{"0":"post-7804","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-culture-and-art","8":"tag-africa"},"yoast_head":"\n
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