Netherlands returns 119 stolen Nigerian artefacts after 120 years
After more than 120 years in foreign hands, a trove of 119 ancient sculptures stolen from the Kingdom of Benin has finally been returned to Nigeria by the Netherlands, in what officials are calling a powerful act of historical justice.
At an emotional handover ceremony held at the National Museum in Lagos, Nigerian officials welcomed the return of the Benin Bronzes, exquisitely crafted metal and ivory artefacts that once adorned royal palaces in the heart of the Benin Kingdom, now part of southern Nigeria.
A transfer of agreement was signed earlier this year between the two countries for the return of the Benin bronzes. The sculptures, prized for their beauty and technical artistry, are of spiritual and historical significance for the people from that part of Nigeria. Their theft still remains a point of pain for the descendants of those from the ancient Benin kingdom.
“These artefacts are more than art. They are living testaments to our people’s spirit, history, and identity,” said Olugbile Holloway, Director-General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments. “When they were taken, it wasn’t just physical objects that were stolen, but a part of our soul. All we ask of the world is to treat us with fairness, dignity, and respect.”
The items, dating from the 16th to 18th centuries, were among thousands stolen in 1897 during a brutal British military expedition. Led by Admiral Sir Henry Rawson, British troops invaded and sacked Benin City, exiling Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi and shipping countless cultural treasures to museums and private collections across Europe and North America.
For over a century, these pieces of bronze plaques, ceremonial heads, and intricately carved ivories were admired in European institutions, often with little acknowledgement of the violent circumstances under which they were acquired. But a global reckoning with colonial history in recent years has sparked increasing demands for restitution.
Nigeria formally launched its push for the return of stolen artefacts in 2022, and has since seen a growing number of items come back home. That year, 72 artefacts were returned from a museum in London, while 31 pieces were repatriated from the United States.
Germany has also pledged to return more than 1,000 additional items from its museums, Holloway confirmed at the event. As for the current batch, four of the returned bronzes are already on display in the museum’s courtyard, serving as a public reminder of what has been lost and what is being reclaimed.
The rest will be handed over to the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, the traditional ruler of the Benin Kingdom and custodian of its cultural heritage. For many Nigerians, the return is deeply personal.
“These bronzes tell the stories of our ancestors,” said one attendee at the ceremony. “Seeing them here again is like being reunited with family.”
However, there is still much ground to cover. Tens of thousands of African artefacts remain housed in Western museums. With each repatriation, the call grows louder that Africa’s history belongs in Africa.
Written by Kweku Sampson
Abeeb Lekan Sodiq is a Managing Editor & Writer at theafricandream.net. He’s as well a Graphics Designer and also known as Arakunrin Lekan.
