The Netherlands has announced its decision to return 119 Benin Bronzes, looted during the 1897 British raid on Benin City, to Nigeria.
PLATFORM TIMES reports that this marks the largest return of such antiquities to Nigeria, signaling a significant step in addressing historical injustices.
In a statement issued by the Dutch embassy in Abuja on Wednesday, Eppo Bruin, the Dutch Minister for Education, Culture, and Science, expressed that the bronzes should never have been taken to the Netherlands in the first place.
Bruin emphasized that this restitution would help “redress a historical injustice that is still being felt today,” adding,
“Cultural heritage is essential for telling and living the history of a country and a community.
The Benin Bronzes are indispensable to Nigeria. It is good that they are going back.”
The bronzes are set to be the largest batch ever returned from abroad, surpassing previous repatriations, and are expected to arrive in Nigeria later this year.
The Netherlands has long been a prominent holder of the bronzes, which were stolen by British forces during the punitive expedition of 1897.
Bengt van Loosdrech, the Netherlands’ ambassador-designate to Nigeria, noted that Nigeria had been advocating for the return of the bronzes for more than 50 years, marking this as a monumental achievement for both nations.
Olugbile Holloway, Director-General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), echoed the sentiment, calling the return of the 119 pieces a milestone in the ongoing effort to bring back Nigeria’s cultural heritage.
He thanked the Netherlands for their cooperation and expressed hope that this action would inspire other countries to follow suit in repatriating lost or looted antiquities.
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