Nigeria has taken another significant step in its ongoing campaign to recover looted cultural treasures, as the Ministry of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy on Monday received two Benin bronzes repatriated from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
The artefacts, a bronze relief plaque and a commemorative head, were handed over to the ministry by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja. Both items were originally looted during the British invasion of the Benin Kingdom in 1897.
Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, expressed gratitude to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, and all parties involved in the process, describing the handover as “a historic moment for Nigeria, the ministry, and the good people of the Benin Kingdom.”
Musawa added that the government is in ongoing discussions with several international institutions still holding Benin artefacts, noting that more returns are expected as Nigeria continues to assert its ownership rights.
Director-General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Olugbile Holloway, also acknowledged the collective efforts behind the repatriation, particularly the contributions of NCMM staff and Prince Aghatise Erediauwa, who has long championed the cause.
“What we are witnessing today is the return of a huge part of Nigeria’s history,” Holloway said. “While this occasion is symbolic to Benin, it speaks to Nigeria’s broader restitution movement. We also have objects from Ife, so this event remains historic regardless of the size of the gathering.”
The ceremonial handover was witnessed by three high chiefs representing the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, according to a statement from the Minister’s Special Adviser, Nneka Anibeze.
The Benin bronzes, a global collection of over 2,000 brass and bronze works, were dispersed across museums in Europe and America after the 1897 invasion. Nigeria has recently intensified diplomatic efforts to recover them, securing repatriation commitments from the U.S., U.K., and several European institutions.
Monday’s handover follows a 2023 Memorandum of Understanding between Nigeria and the United States aimed at strengthening cultural cooperation and facilitating the return of looted artefacts.
The development aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda, which prioritises the restoration of Nigeria’s cultural heritage and the promotion of national identity.
