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For visitors to the Humboldt Forum in Berlin, this statue is one of many exhibits.
For many people in Cameroon, on the other hand, it is an important part of their culture that was stolen from them by German colonial rulers.
Ngonnso, that's the name of the figure covered with shells.
Sylvie Njobati, activist:
"Today I stand here to represent the Nso people and to condemn the violent capture of Ngonnso and other artefacts here in the Humboldtforum."
Ngonnso is one of many works of art from former colonies that are stored in German, British or French museums.
Sylvie Njobati, activist from Cameroon: »I grew up as a young person who was detached from his culture and identity. How can I go on for me if I don't even know where I come from?"
The demand for a return went unheeded for a long time.
But now something is slowly moving.
Preparations are already underway in West Cameroon for Ngonnso's return.
In this museum in Foumban it is to be housed for the time being - even if this is not the place of origin of the statue.
Guido Mingels, DER SPIEGEL:
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The city of Kumbo, where the Ngonnso statue was probably stolen by German colonialists 120 years ago, is in the middle of a conflict zone.
There is a bloody separatist conflict there, the statue cannot go back there at the moment.
So, so the Sultan and the King of the Nso decided together, the figure could come back here - at least until peace reigns.
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There is currently no sign of peace in south-west Cameroon.
Separatists and government troops have been fighting there since 2016, and around 750,000 people have had to flee.
The Nso people hope that a possible return of Ngonnso will help settle the conflict.
Sehm Mbinglo I,
King of the Nso:
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Ngonnso is our spiritual leader, our goddess.
In connection with her we are healthy, have fertile land and a good harvest.
I feel incomplete without Ngonnso.
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Great expectations of a small statue, it seems - but this shows one thing above all:
how much the importance of looted art is underestimated in Europe today.
The German debate on restitution revolved primarily around the Benin bronzes from Nigeria, which Germany had promised to return, and France and Great Britain had also promised to return colonial art looted to Nigeria.
It may take a while before she actually arrives in her home country.
Nigerian artist Chidi Nwaubani doesn't want to wait any longer, he's bringing back the cultural treasures digitally as 3D animations.
He wants to give his compatriots at least a little more control over their art.
Chidi Nwaubani, artist: »If you want to learn something about our sculptures, you have to go to Great Britain or another European country. So we're trying to reinvent this world and give it a digital form.«
At the beginning of June there was an actual return: the Belgian king presented a traditional mask to a museum in the Congo, once the largest Belgian colony.
And the looted art stored in Germany?
In Berlin and Bremen alone there are several thousand entries of art objects from Cameroon in the museum databases.
Which also means that since the holdings are online, citizens from the countries of origin can more easily reclaim the art – as in the case of Ngonnso.
Guido Mingels, DER SPIEGEL:
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The Nso tribe has been demanding this statue back for several decades.
For a long time, museums, and not only this one, did their best to prevent such restitutions.
But now there is a good chance that the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, which owns the statue, will agree to a return.
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Sometime after June 27th it could actually happen.
Then the Council of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation wants to decide on the return of Ngonnso.