I Asked the British Museum to Review the Origin of Three Quartz Rings Linked to My Ebonyi Community

I have written to the British Museum asking it to review the catalogue entry for three quartz rings listed as coming from outside Bonny and from an unknown tribe. I believe the objects, known in my community as Nkume Nwota, came from a shrine in Omuagu Onueke, Ezza South, Ebonyi State. According to my family account, the rings were linked to Lolo Mgbeke Nnele, a shrine keeper and my ancestor. I submitted location details, oral testimony from a community elder, and historical records relating to a 1913 colonial operation in the Ezza area. I also asked Ebonyi State University to provide academic support in confirming the community’s history. I am seeking a correction of the museum label to reflect Omuagu Onueke and its cultural history. I also want to know whether other families in Onueke, Idembia, Omege, Ekka and Inyimagu have records of cultural objects taken during the colonial era. What practical steps can communities take to pursue accurate museum records and possible restitution?

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