Nigeria has officially reclaimed 119 Benin Bronzes from the Netherlands in one of the largest single returns of looted African cultural heritage. The artefacts, which include royal regalia, plaques, statues of people and animals and a ceremonial bell, were handed over on Thursday at the formal request of the Nigerian National Commission for Museums and Monuments.
The items were first looted in 1897 when British troops invaded the historic Benin Kingdom in what is now southern Nigeria during a violent military campaign that led to the exile of then-king Ovonramwen Nogbaisi. Many of the stolen objects later found their way into European museums, including the Wereld Museum in Leiden, where most of the returned pieces are now stored.
Speaking at a handover ceremony in Edo State, Benin’s current traditional ruler, Oba Ewuare II, described the return as a “divine intervention” and hailed the determination behind the kingdom’s efforts to reclaim its heritage. “This return is a testament to the power of our prayers and our unwavering determination,” the monarch said.
Marieke Van Bommel, director of the Wereld Museum, confirmed the Dutch government’s commitment to returning cultural objects that were wrongfully taken. “We are working to right historical wrongs,” she said.
Olugbile Holloway, director of the Nigerian museum commission, hailed the return as the most significant return of Benin artefacts to date. He reiterated Nigeria’s ongoing campaign to reclaim more artefacts taken during the colonial period.
The global movement to reclaim looted heritage has gained momentum in recent years, with Nigeria receiving 72 artefacts from a museum in London and 31 from a museum in Rhode Island in 2022 alone.