On Sunday, the Horniman Museum in London announced that it will return a number of artefacts, including 12 of the renowned Benin Bronzes that British soldiers had stolen in Nigeria. The museum said in a statement, “Ownership of 72 objects, which were forcibly removed from Benin City during the British military incursion in February 1897, will be transferred to the Nigerian government. The collection includes 12 brass plaques, known publicly as Benin bronzes. Other objects include a brass cockerel altarpiece, ivory and brass ceremonial objects, brass bells, everyday items such as fans and baskets, and a key ‘to the king’s palace’.”
Many of Nigeria’s so-called Benin Bronzes, which are metal sculptures and plaques from the 16th to 18th centuries, were stolen from the palace of the former Benin Kingdom and are now shown in museums all across the US and Europe. Nigeria, which has been negotiating their return, intends to house the bronzes, some of the most renowned pieces of African art, in a museum that will be built in Benin City, in the southern Edo state.
“The evidence is very clear that these objects were acquired through force, and external consultation supported our view that it is both moral and appropriate to return their ownership to Nigeria,” the museum quoted Eve Salomon, Chair of the Trustees of the Horniman Museum and Gardens, as reported by AFP.
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Abba Tijani, the chairman of Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments, applauded the choice and expressed his excitement for “a productive discussion on loan agreements and collaborations.” In addition to Britain, several European nations have requested the return of lost valuables, including France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany. According to experts, between 85% and 90% of African cultural objects have been removed from the continent.
(with inputs from agencies)
