Mon 21 February 2022:
On Monday, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari appealed to foreign countries, institutions, and bodies to return Nigerian artefacts that are still in their possession.
The return of two important Nigerian artefacts from the UK, more than a century after they were pillaged by British troops, prompted President Buhari’s call.
He promised that the Nigerian government would vigorously pursue the repatriation of its artefacts.
President Buhari promised that the Nigerian government would work with the royal families and kingdoms that lost the artefacts to ensure that they were put to good and proper use when they returned in museums and other facilities.
”These artefacts are part of the records of the history of the Benin people,” he said.
”My directive to return these artefacts to the Oba of Benin marks the beginning of another aspect in the highly valued relationship between the Federal Government of Nigeria and our traditional institutions who are indeed the true custodians of our history, customs and traditions,” he added.
He praised Germany’s willingness to return 1,130 Benin bronzes to Nigeria, which are housed in many of the country’s public museums.
He also mentioned that talks to repatriate even more artefacts from their current locations in foreign countries were still ongoing.
The artefacts that had already been returned to the Oba of Benin had been taken away by British soldiers in 1897 when they attacked the ancient Benin Kingdom and took thousands of artefacts with them.
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
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