Abomey is a town located in the southern part of the West Africa nation of Benin. The town is the capital of the Zou Department of Benin approximately about 60 miles (100 km) north of Cotonou.
Perhaps founded in the early 17th century, it soon became the capital of the kingdom of Abomey (later Dahomey), which dominated production and trade with the European enterprises on the Slave Coast until the late 19th century. The municipality is situated in an area where palm nuts and peanuts (groundnuts) are grown; it is connected by road and rail to Cotonou, the country’s main commercial centre, and to Porto-Novo, the capital.
The royal palaces, the tombs of the kings, and a historical museum are maintained in Abomey; the royal palaces were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985. Tourism is a significant factor in the town’s economy. Pop. (2002) Abomey-Calavi, 61,450; (2013 prelim.) Abomey-Calavi, 135,000.
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At least 90,000 artifacts from sub-Saharan Africa are held by institutions in France, according to a 2018 report commissioned by the French government. The majority of them can be found at the Musée du Quai Branly.
French President Emmanuel Macron in 2017, vowed that his country would work toward the “temporary or permanent restitution of African heritage to Africa,” remarks that prompted other European museums to consider returning — or lending — items stolen from former colonies.
Meanwhile, some European museums have argued that their artifacts were acquired legally. They may also face legal obstacles that prevent them from removing items from their collections.
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