Germany Returns Looted Benin Artefacts to Nigeria

•FG knocks Britain for refusing to return Nigerian antiquities

Olawale Ajimotokan in  Abuja and Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

Germany has formally handed over the repatriated 1,130 Benin bronze artefacts to Nigeria.

The handing over ceremony was held yesterday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja.

The German delegation was led by Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock.

Also in the contingent was the Minister for Culture and the Media, Claudia Roth, members of parliament both of the federal and regional governments in Germany and administrators and directors of museums in Germany.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said Nigeria, Africa and indeed all of humanity, would remember and always cherish the period in human history when Germany stood by the country.

He applauded the courage, sincerity and the sense of justice of the Europeans in returning the highest-ever number of Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, saying history will record the moment with a smile.

He also thanked other persons and groups that had worked subtly behind the scene over the years towards the realisation of the dream.

The minister noted that arising from the German action, negotiations with other nations, institutions and museums for the repatriation of the Benin Bronzes in their possession became swifter.

“When Germany mooted and announced the idea of returning Nigerian Benin Bronzes, the entire globe treated the news with disbelief. However, Germany did not stop at a mere announcement but followed up with a visit to Nigeria by high ranking officials in March 2021 to further assure us,” Mohammed said.

After a series of meetings between Nigeria and Germany on modalities, the Germans had on July 7, 2022, signed the declaration with Nigeria to restitute all 1,130 Benin Bronzes in Germany public museums.

“Twenty years ago, even 10 years ago, nobody could have anticipated these bronzes returning to Nigeria, because the obstacles to achieving repatriation were seemingly insurmountable.

“But today, with the pioneering gesture of a friendly nation, Germany, the story has changed. The negotiations were not as easy as things look today.

“They were stormy at times. But the sincerity of the Germans played a big role in resolving knotty issues. In this regard, my special gratitude goes to Andreas Gorgen and the directors of the various museums for their patience and understanding,” he said.

He allayed concern about the infrastructure where the returned artefacts would be warehoused, saying the federal government of Nigeria was embarking on infrastructural development around the National Museum in Benin City in addition to the infrastructural developments being initiated by other stakeholders in the country supported by foreign partners.

He also urged other nations, institutions, museums and private collectors still holding on to Nigerian antiquities to release them.

In particularly, Mohammed called out the British Museum to release the more than 900 Benin Bronzes it was holding, more than a year after the federal government submitted an official letter to the British Museum demanding the return of Nigerian antiquities in this museum.

“Yet there has been no reply of any kind. I visited in July this year hoping that the success recorded with the Germans will nudge the British Museum to do what is right. But I met a brick wall.

“The British Museum and all those holding on to our artefacts must understand that repatriation is a cause which time has come.

“They must also understand that many of these cultural objects are not mere art to us but the true essence of our being. They are not mere decorative works but our culture and heritage. They belong here, not anywhere else!’ Mohammed said.

He insisted that Nigeria was not only seeking the return of Benin Bronzes but all Nigerian antiquities illegally or illicitly exported, noting that it was only when the artefacts are returned that true justice will be seen to have been done.

Meanwhile, Roth, has reassured Edo State Government that all looted Benin artefacts would be returned

Rot gave the reassurance  whe she was received during a luncheon by the state governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki in hounour of her and her entourage at the Sir Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub in Benin City, capital of the state.

She remarked that “Today marks history for you and for us. In Berlin, I can recognize the injustice that those sculptures represent; what a loss it was for the culture and people of this country and the open wounds in the hearts of the people.

“Cultural heritage is passed from generation to generation, offers answers and serves as a guide through history and source of identity.”

Receiving the German Minister and her entourage, Obaseki said his government was repositioning the state to become Africa’s cultural hub with the proposed Edo Museum of West African Arts (EMOWAA), the Benin Cultural District and other projects in the arts, culture and tourism sector.

Commending the German Government for its commitment to returning all looted artefacts in its custody, Obaseki noted that “the return of the artefacts to Edo marks the beginning of a new era where the history of Edo will be told by Edolites and not outsiders as they will help researchers answer questions bothering the history and identity of Edo people.”

He said, “Edo is poised to be the cultural capital of West Africa and we as a government will continue to support efforts to build and support the infrastructure required to develop culture in our land.

“To many in the West, the return of the Benin bronzes ends an era because you are returning these works back to those who create the works but that is not the objective.

“It actually begins a new era of a new relationship because with the return of the works to Nigeria and Edo State, the story begins a new chapter and the question to ask will be how will these objects benefit the people of Edo and Nigeria? What research and education projects can come out from these returned artifacts? Will it mark the beginning of us trying to understand what these objects meant and mean to us or will we continue to rely on interpretations from outside here?”

Obaseki further queried: “What job opportunities will be created as a result of these pieces coming back? How will they be viewed, researched and displayed not only in Edo but across Nigeria and the continent?

“These objects had been disconnected from us for close to five generations. Therefore, how will these objects and their return inspire young creatives and academics from Edo State and Nigeria?

“Will these objects give birth to a tourism industry in Nigeria and Edo State so that the world can come and look at these objects in the place where they were originally created?”