judy hong kong d w. the banks. and so was the language of the bank. speaking the truth. is that matters j w played for mines. this is date every news africa on the program today a historic milestone. to get back it's rooted on some of the building brands is stolen from nigeria in this colonial era will be returned to the country after germany say if would get them back. and what happened to this man the mozambican journalist has been missing for more than a guess we have his story as chris freedom watch is one of the country is one of the un safest places for journalist. press detail often 18

and 30 human companion to the south african story just one of the best documentary tries at this year's oscars. hello i'm christine wonder it's good to have your company it is being called a game changer and the start of a new era germany has promised to begin returning the artifacts known as the banning bronzes to nigeria next year making it the 1st country to do so germany has a collection of just over $1800.00 bronzes there on display in museums in cologne interest in. the sculptures and metal prox from the ancient beneath which is today known as state in southern nigeria the bronzes were looted by british soldiers in 1907 and. sold to museums in north america and europe the

largest collection of the bronzes is held by the british museum. nigeria has been trying to get back the bronzes for decades without success but momentum has been building over the last fiji is with calls growing if allowed to fall out effect sees chairing the colonial era to be returned to their places of origin germany's culture minister explained why bilin had decided to act now she said quote we are confronting historic and moral responsibility we want to contribute to a common understanding and reconciliation with the descendants of the people who were robbed of their cultural treasures during the time of colonialism close quote and i'm pleased to welcome the senegalese professor. on to the program to talk about this he is currently the director of the incision of african studies at columbia university in new york welcome professor jan lovely to have you on the

program so this development is being called a game changer give us your reaction to the news that germany will start returning banning bronzes to nigeria next year where if you great news indeed be good as you say did you write this is a game changer. their decision by the french president to receive certain objects was groundbreaking decision but this is a huge huge great changer because they've been in brands is this huge. venue yet revisit in your work here in have talked about that how the planning bronzes all particularly important tell us what makes them so special. well they were good to eat 897 you know way you know discovered them more and more britney and the 1000000000 brands this really changed the

perception that europeans had of africa in fact they were just fascinated by the sophistication of the work they were. really stunned astonished at 1st by what it meant in terms of mastery of metal work and in particular a definitive sophisticated technique known as last wax. casti meaning that you beyond if you're in wax and then you poor. into it and when it. gets. cold you takes the form of whatever it is that you look carved out of wax and so that's the and a very important aspect in my 1st place that is on the european side it meant for the perception of african fact and then that is the fact that the way in which they

where acquired a quiet is really a euphemism they were looted they wear back to be taken by violence from there to paris of the of the killing of many of the them they need in their eyes to 1000 sentry that's right professor so what do you make off of the arguments against a real situation right the most prominent being the fear that the op is safe and best ok for in japan and north african museums american hit that museums than it would be in africa where this state is braun is precisely. yes state these days these brands if they were taken from a place we have the rest if they were taken from the palace of the king so the fairest and most prominent thing to be conceded is the fact that i think about writing if that principle is established then everything else becomes technical it is known of that as

a different opt and they develop their own infrastructure for cotton for museums etc yes countries have now asking for their situation of the objects meaning that they have. developed capacity to keep and they have developed. also for that professor just hold that thought for a 2nd because i do want to come back to something that you just said you told about righting a wrong so there is of course the marlin if they can all human right as you say what's what the study should be returned to its rightful owner but but beyond that what kind of connection do africans have to these objects. well let's take the bronze is one of the packs that the rounds packs that you had in the palace of the king. of the king of britney and attack what do they do what would their function they were telling the narrative of the kingdom of. these.

testimonies of what she's known as act court and this is probably why they add a naturalistic act usually african that is known to be very symbolic they abstract and not really reproducing reality as you tease back that kind of symbolisation of reality in this particular case you have you know made a naturalistic act because they tell the narrative of the kingdom itself we know that many of the heads. heads of kings many so the narrative being told if you take that as you if you did if you planned it it means you act a king the memory of a particular kingdom so this is why it is not just the modern aspect he's really a weight off reconnecting memory that has been fragmented he's remembering

of the african mentally and that is professor. thank you professor it's been great having you with us on this topic thank you for having me we sent our team at all to get some reaction from people in nigeria where the news has been welcomed but as you're about to hear there are some doubts to. someone who is surely good looks it's. back to the country that needs i think the problem is every one of us not only the governments do trust us or. if we. jump on our it's only that we should be so assets we should keep it's i believe this year it's only back to the building and the states. that should be a museum there. by the federal government's and the people is the assets so that we secure with very well where police or illegals are which and where the congo.

hasn't we're back to square one. i mean nigeria the we we are we may not be a people because we don't happen at all those things but are the same time is our own then it should be returned back to this country and. every every state should do i mean one of 2 things to keep those scenes be very important to us they are more or less like a vanished on to our one just need to return. back to nigeria but do you have in nigeria ease security see how we can add the governments will be able to protect these assets works when they are finally resolved but its assets in nigeria will have its back that's what that's my own opinion firstly naturally won't we see if it is because he's been long so a ninja issue recently but as i messed things i mean in defense about it because

even when the brain gets what you're going to give it's because become assured the present government you are going to lease on your back to gain you'll sell you back to them so tell me does the point sign with sony or they don't it's only by free look at the benefits of it if it's going to if it's something that it will keep in our museums that our children can have access to. beneficial boards i know that. i mean different does it concern you they're really really into do i think that is . kind from something has proved conscience. you understand so many things have been taken from us as a country to ignore and people who. is left for the civilised to live but. is it what it.

is has no meaning to them is a culture a thing so he tells closed in spirit to return the. i like. it we is. those in power when these things sound return to walk out and take care of feet. because it's like a blessing. but to say i believe due to i don't know. it's not just the painting bronson's from nigeria at all wanted by the rightful owners there is also a claim from cameroon from way a special artifact known as the tongue was stolen from a no cocaine more than a century later it is still in germany but as our reporter found not everyone in cameroon is off the view that it should be brought back to the country. in dollar cameron preschool munden bed a turd has been advocating for the return of the time

a sculpture still in from his godfather in it's in it's a form. for is doing there has made this copy of the times and put it on show in cameroon the original at the 5 looted by the germans during the colonial times is on display at the museum in munich. we have consummate the prince for an interview but he spokesman told us he's not available at the moment but we are told that the prince wants the time to be reported to come rude immediately on and on and however not everyone agrees that should be immediately returned to the princess $1000000.00 bill is an artist and fond of an absent. or even do her great grandfather was executed in 1914 for resisting german rule that marilyn thinks cameron is not ready to receive the. letters to tissue the repatriation that should be a process in the pit. it cannot be immediate defend

her since she cannot be rushed. it has to be a process. we cannot receive an object tomorrow that was taken away more than 100 years ago it was taken away under very complicated circumstances. all of us also claim to be the rightful owners of the time at least one more descendant of a dollar king has merely clean on the $85.00 for marilyn this is a source of concern she wants a time get to be returned a few years the conditions are currently not right. artifact is returned to who should it be given to support his object this was not an object that was taken away from a family this is not an object that was taken away from an individual it was looted from a community so who is going to negotiate who is going to take charge of it. who

has been on the scene for 20. more than just sculpture he thinks is a spiritual symbol. if it is broad but. bringing back. will be a means to inspire the young generation. and to create a big operation and creativity equal you and to develop local culture. most people here wonder. however there is no agreement on when how and to who the fuck should be 100 but. bad or very bad that is the verdict of the new report by the watchdog reporters without borders when it comes to press freedom in nearly hoff sub-saharan africa

and it says the ability of journalists to do their job is being made worse by the covert 19 pandemic so who are the worst offenders eritrea is bottom of the cross i mean 180 out of 180 g. bush he is not far behind neither are nigeria and zimbabwe doing better are gonna and south africa they come ahead off the u.k. it's right in africa is namibia. now one country that has and his specially poor record when it comes to press freedom is ones that beak journalists they are awesome to intimidation a scenes abductions and extrajudicial killings now we have the story of one journalist who has been missing now for more than a year. hasn't heard from his brother for over a year. who is a radio journalist who was kidnapped by an unknown abductors on his way home from

work he sent a colleague a message just before hand saying he was surrounded by soldiers. to. see the people for their. mothers who we as his family are very sad swe have no idea what might happen his brother has 2 children and there's also his wife right now the kids go through a bad time we as his family demand information why was he kidnapped where is he if we were going to force it was that aagot. somebody. who has been 2 of your thirty's repeatedly but got no on says his brother works for a local radio station in pa and ma media from deep inside where the government and international energy companies are planning to produce liquid fright nature will guess islamist extremists are also active in the region carrying out attacks on

villages journalists have great difficulties in getting access to the area but the local radio station has carried reports on the situation including a full scale assault on several weeks ago we tried to schedule interviews with the local government security forces as well as the ministry of defense but nobody was available to talk to us on camera here in the north it is fair to say that there is a climate of fear for local journalists but that is not only the case in crisis areas journalists in was m.b. could face death threats kidnapping and physical assault colleagues from the w.'s portuguese for africa service among the victims the offices of a critical newspaper kannada mozambique burns down last year in a suspected arson attack the publisher only just escaped being kidnapped. but as we believe that all this is a part of a wider plan to correct down on media freedom this is part of

a series of measures aimed at putting pressure on the paper. he's also. the editor says he and his colleagues are willing to risk their lives i remain in critical. gear we need to do that we are inspired by the history of our country that has a beautiful history of a freedom struggle we believe the press plays a vital role enough holding freedom then promoting democracy without a free press we would have serious problems p. . bill can only make sensible choices when they're properly informed you know the division at least a lot of this is a. who can only keep hoping that he will eventually hear from his brother his youngest son was born after he was kidnapped and does not know his father so that's the situation in mozambique and now for the big picture as we've heard

the nation's report on press freedom in africa shows the continent is still the most dangerous place for journalists and the covert 900 pandemic has made journalists in africa even more fun ripple to talk more on this we've invited our new for jay onto the program he heads up the africa desk for reporters without borders welcome to news africa on to tell us why the pandemic has made the work of journalists in africa even harder. well we've. had a tremendous effect on journalism in africa is no exception when it started last year we have recorded 3 times as many a gratian as an arbitrary arrest of journalists during the same period in a 2019 so we have also witnessed many attempts to totally control the flow of information the balance of the meek. criminalization of information connected to. transparency regarding and the reality of depend on the

meek and sometimes even through polls show or and a complete denial of the reality of the severity of this virus or generally speaking it's been and still very. challenging for journalists to reports about it because. granted access to information and because sometimes our sources aren't fear of talking about trying to defend them right and under as the report points out that the surgeon if he says that that africans and this have facing the pandemic is really just our mind at that generous to often regarded as as enemies on the continent. as of course and when you look at demand you've got 23 out of 48 countries in sub-saharan africa that are still color in a red or in black that means that the president situation in news countries nearly of the continent is either difficult or very bad and and for instance africa

remains and you said it's the most violent area for journalists in the world exactions take place at the very. level and one particular phenomenon that we have witnessed during this pandemic is that colvin the during the call in 1000 benami authority that develops a tendency to consider is it deal fishel information with the valid information the only trustworthy source of information this is a very dangerous because we need independently produced information by journalists was not always or right then filling in the public was a curate and invention and i go even in this difficult environment we've seen examples of that 2nd issue as some of those examples with us some independent work important plant that genghis have to end during the pandemic yes we had in the commercials for example a journalist who has threatened by the government because she had revealed why do you do not have any case of colvin 1000 yet when most of the countries were

affected our investigation revealed that the dissembles were collected and not been sent for analysis in zimbabwe and so we had this investigative journalist no no we ended up in jail a few weeks after he contributed to reveal massive embezzlement at the ministry of house regarding the. stuff for and fighting come in 1000 all right that is on a fresh air from report says without borders thank you ana thank you. south africa caught and not at this year's oscars that country played a role in the production that won the award for best documentary the film caught my octopus teacher focuses on an unusual connection between an octopus and a human in the water capes out of the story and it's largely positive global reception have brought great pride to the filmmakers and the local population. and

we are told to. my archivist teacher. the academy joined a worldwide audiences in affirming my octopus teacher as a nature documentary with a difference. it's a captivating tale of friendship south african filmmaker and naturalists craig foster was intrigued by a young octopus he found in an underwater forest near cape town foster began to document their daily interactions and the mollusk wowed him and his fellow directors this curiosity turned a personal video project into a full length documentary. i think it's also worries me incrementally so builds it to be something that could appeal to rule who

are not only interested in this all natural history in this environment but the sort of everything great is going to as a human being is sort of the relatable things he's dealing with guilt disappointment so he's conflicted about things he's trying to sort of overcome security. and it's patients and dissimulation all the source human qualities that. oh big question serious stories just the contact area. and the effort is welcome on ground in cape town. i think it can have a profound effect not just on their families when the tourists do or to take to finding something to submit to what he did with calling all the skills. you know how you how to color. it's

a lesson in how humans and nature can co-exist in mutual appreciation. isn't that incredible well that is it for now be sure to check out our other stories on the dot com forward slash africa we're also on facebook and on twitter we're always keen to know what you think about the stories that we cover here on news africa well not out they'll soon be heading home today we'll need you with more pictures of nigeria's been in france as we see an extract of.

the. after. the story of producing and propaganda. they were called the rhineland bastards. their mothers were germans living in the occupied drawing land their fathers soldiers from the french colony. they come up in a. kind of embrace those of. the children of shane. in 15 minutes on t.w.

. how does a virus spread. why do we panic and when will all be. true just 3 of the topics from cover and a weak link read your blog. if you would like any information on the crown of virus or any other science topic you should really check out our podcast you can get it wherever you get your podcast you can also find us at d.f.w. dot com look forward slash science. and you hear me now yes yes we've got a new you and i last year's german sound so that when we bring you an angle on madoff and you've never had to have a full surprise yourself with what is possible who is medical really what moves fast and want to also be. people can follow along the way the morrows and critics

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this is news live from india tries to tell you a devastating spike in 1000 cases by opening up vaccinations took all adults but it's an occupation efforts are in disarray some states have no shots to authorize a desperate population also coming up scuffles and arrests in paris clashes erupt in the french capital as protesters mark international workers day. and a force that is struck by a tear gas canister.