In 1897, over 1,000 sculptures and artifacts were stolen from the royal palace in Benin state during the colonial era. This occurred during an expedition organized by the Britains.
Due to the law of dispersion, the monumental figures were scattered all over Europe. Tracking down these sculptures proved futile.
A considerable amount of these sculptures were sold to the Ethnological Museum in Berlin, Germany.
The famous museum houses over 500 items stolen from Benin state. A majority of the items existed through the 16th century. Amongst many figurines includes 440 bronzes stolen from the state.
In a public statement, the German foreign minister said, “This is just the beginning of more than 1,000 pieces from the Kingdom of Benin that is still in German museums, and they all belong to the people of Nigeria. It was wrong to take the bronzes; it was wrong to keep them for 120 years. The bronzes “are some of Africa’s greatest treasures, but they are also telling the story of colonial violence.”
Nigerian and German officials signed a joint political declaration that will oversee the return and transport of these artifacts back to their motherland. Both administrations of North America and Europe are sending looted relics from the past.
However, there isn’t a definite schedule for the return, but officials are optimistic about later in the year. The Ethnological museum will hold on to a few bronzes for a loan period.
Compensation for the sins of the past?
The agreement between the two governments will help to foster trade and other investment opportunities.
The German government is prepared to set up a multinational museum in Benin, where all the stolen bronze will be on full display to the public.
Officials of the German Ethnological museum are sentimental that this would correct the mistakes of pioneer Germans in West Africa.
The Nigerian ministerial team has expressed immense joy over the development. The Nigerian state minister for Foreign Affairs said, “It is my sincere hope that other European countries will follow in your footsteps.”
In other news, the British Museum in London has silenced calls from Nigeria to return stolen Benin artifacts.
In an email statement, the spokesperson for the museum said, “The British Museum remains committed to thorough and open investigation of Benin collection histories. This includes fully acknowledging and understanding the colonial history which forms the key context for developing the Museum’s Benin collections.”
Many museums across Europe are returning looted Benin ancestral treasures. In Washington, D.C, a museum has removed ten bronze pieces belonging to the Benin kingdom from the National Museum of African Art display.