On Friday, August 8th, 2026, Ivory Coast celebrated the return of the Djidji Ayokwe, a sacred "talking drum" looted by French colonial troops in 1916. The drum, used by the Ebrie tribe to transmit messages, is more than three metres long and weighs 430 kilograms.

The ceremony took place on Ivory Coast's national independence day and marked the first time contemporary Ivorians could see the drum. It was carried in a military parade through the Yopougon district of Abidjan before being taken to Adjame, the village where it was originally made.

The drum had been seized by French colonial authorities in 1916, shipped to Europe in 1929, and exhibited in Paris for decades. Ivory Coast requested its return in late 2018 as part of a broader claim for 148 works of art taken during the colonial period. The return is part of a larger effort by France to repatriate hundreds of stolen artifacts, supported by a new French law approved in May 2026.

Adjame mayor Farikou Soumahoro emphasized the importance of cultural heritage, stating, "A nation cannot develop if it doesn't preserve its memory and promote its heritage." Traditional leader Cyriaque Ahoure, 63, expressed his emotions, saying he had come to share a moment of "great joy, when we remembering our ancestors."

The drum was officially handed over in February 2026 and arrived in Ivory Coast in March aboard a specially chartered plane, though it remained in its crate until the public ceremony.

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