France, July 13 -- French MPs have unanimously adopted legislation allowing Paris to return to Cote d'Ivoire the Djidji Ayokwe talking drum, which colonial troops seized from the Ebrie tribe in 1916.

The Djidji Ayokwe "talking drum" is one of tens of thousands of artworks and other prized artefacts looted by France during the reign of its colonial empire, from the 16th century to the first half of the 20th century.

Three metres long and weighing 430 kilograms, the drum was used as a communication tool by the Atchan people to transmit messages between different areas.

The sound could be heard up to 20 kilometres away, enabling the convening of assemblies or the issuing of alerts in case of danger.

When in 1916 Atchan villagers refused ...