Should the Ezza Royal Crown Be Returned to Ebonyi?

I believe the Ezza Royal Crown, catalogued as AF1978.12.1 at the Pitt Rivers Museum, should be formally recognised and returned to Ebonyi. I argue that describing it as belonging to an “Unknown Tribe” does not erase its Ezza identity or ownership. I also question the classification of the Ezza law board, Oko, as a gaming board. In my view, these objects carry legal, royal and historical meaning that has been overlooked in foreign collections. I connect this call for restitution to wider African history, including the Benin Walls, ancient Egyptian symbols and the displacement of African cultural objects during colonial rule. My position is simple: theft does not transfer ownership, and cultural heritage should be returned rather than merely stored abroad. Should the museum return the Ezza Royal Crown and other identified Ezza objects to their community in Ebonyi?

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