London museum to return 19th century looted works to Nigeria
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Among the items looted in 1897 during a British military incursion into Benin City were twelve bronze plaques, fans, baskets and a key “to the king’s palace”.
Seventy-two artifacts looted in 1897 during a British military incursion into Benin City will be returned to Nigeria, the Horniman Museum in London announced on Sunday. Among these works and objects are 12 brass plates, known as bronzes from Benin, or even ivory and brass ceremonial objects, everyday objects such as fans and baskets, as well as a key “of the king’s palace”.
This restitution responds to a request made in January by the National Commission of Museums and Monuments of Nigeria, whose director general, Professor Abba Tijani, welcomed the decision of the London establishment. “The evidence was very clear that these items were obtained by force, and an external consultation confirmed our view that it was both moral and appropriate to return their property to Nigeria”said Eve Salomon, chair of the museum’s trustees.
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A museum in Benin City
He will now discuss with the Nigerian commission the formal process of transfer of ownership and the possibility that some objects may remain on loan, for display or for research or teaching purposes. Nigeria has negotiated the return of the Benin Bronzes with several European countries and plans to build a museum in Benin City, in southern Edo State, to collect them there.
In November, France returned to Benin, a neighboring country of Nigeria, 26 works from the royal treasures of Abomey, looted in 1892 by French colonial troops. A bronze rooster and a monarch head were returned by the UK to Nigeria earlier this year. In addition, Greece has also been asking the United Kingdom for decades the friezes of the famous ancient temple of the Parthenon in Athens, on display at the British Museum in London. He recently said he was open to an agreement with Greece to share them.
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