The Asante gold has deep cultural and political meaning, and the British looted them as a punitive act.

The repatriation of stolen artefacts with clear histories and ownership information is a tangible act that can contribute towards the remedying the lasting damage done through colonial rule. It must be permanent and come with a recognition of historical wrongdoing to serve this purpose, however. Unfortunately, whilst the offer to “loan” the stolen goods is woefully inadequate at serving this purpose, it is all that is allowed under current British law. The proposal of a “loan” implicitly implies legitimate British ownership of the artefacts; you cannot loan something to someone who is the rightful owner of that item. This story once again highlights the fact that the British government need to reconsider the legislation surrounding repatriation.