The Ministry of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy on Monday took delivery of two Benin bronzes — a bronze relief plaque and a commemorative head — from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, marking a major step in Nigeria’s drive to reclaim its cultural heritage.
The artefacts, looted during the 1897 invasion of the Benin Kingdom, were repatriated from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
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Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, expressed gratitude to Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar for facilitating the return.
“This is a historic moment for Nigeria, the ministry, and the good people of the Benin Kingdom. We are still engaging with several other institutions that hold these artefacts, and soon the process of returning them to their rightful owners will commence,” she said.
Director-General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Olugbile Holloway, also thanked facilitators, including the staff of the NCMM and Prince Aghatise Erediauwa, who led the struggle to recover the pieces.
He added, “What we are witnessing today is the return of a huge part of Nigeria’s history. While this occasion is symbolic to Benin, it is also symbolic to Nigeria’s broader restitution struggle. We also have objects from Ife, so this event is historic, irrespective of the small gathering.”
The symbolic handover took place in the presence of three high chiefs representing the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare, according to a statement by the Special Adviser to the Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Nneka Anibeze.
The Benin bronzes, a renowned collection of over 2,000 brass and bronze plaques and sculptures, were seized by British forces during the 1897 invasion of the Benin Kingdom and subsequently dispersed to museums around the world.
In recent years, Nigeria has stepped up diplomatic efforts to secure their return, reaching agreements with institutions in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe.
The latest repatriation follows a 2023 Memorandum of Understanding between Nigeria and the United States, aimed at returning looted artefacts and deepening cultural cooperation.
The handover highlights Nigeria’s renewed push under President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda to restore cultural heritage and strengthen the nation’s identity.
