Olugbile Holloway, director-general of the NCMM, described the development as “the return of a huge part of Nigeria’s history.”
Gatekeepers News reports that “as much as this occasion is symbolic to Benin, it is also symbolic to Nigeria’s struggle,” he added.
The Benin Bronzes — a vast collection of sculptures, plaques, and ceremonial objects — were looted in 1897 when British forces invaded the royal palace of the Kingdom of Benin, in what is now Edo State, Nigeria. Crafted as early as the 1500s, the artefacts were taken as spoils of war and later dispersed across museums and private collections worldwide.
In recent years, several Western institutions in countries such as Britain, the Netherlands, and Germany have repatriated hundreds of the bronzes, though many more remain unaccounted for. Nigerian authorities and Benin’s traditional rulers have long campaigned for their full return.
Nigeria’s culture minister, Hannatu Musa Musawa, hailed the MFA’s action as a “historic moment,” adding that negotiations with foreign institutions remain ongoing. She expressed optimism that “soon, the process of returning them all to their rightful owners will begin.”
The repatriation effort has stirred debate within Nigeria. The Oba of Benin maintains that the bronzes belong to the Benin monarchy, as they were originally taken from the royal palace. Some Edo stakeholders fear that the newly built Museum of West African Arts (MOWAA) in Benin City might assume custody of the returned artefacts, though its leadership has denied such intentions.
