NIGERIA has recorded another major step in its quest to reclaim cultural treasures looted during the colonial era, as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday formally handed over two Benin Bronzes to the Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy in Abuja.
The artifacts; a bronze relief plaque and a commemorative bronze head were originally looted from the ancient Benin Kingdom during the 1897 British invasion. They were recently repatriated from the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA), Boston, after years of diplomatic engagement and negotiation.
At the handover ceremony, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, presented the bronzes to his counterpart, the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, in the presence of senior officials, cultural custodians, and representatives of the Benin Royal Court.
According to a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Monday by her Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Nneka Ikem Anibeze, receiving the artifacts, Musawa described the moment as “historic and deeply symbolic,” not only for the Benin Kingdom but for Nigeria’s broader cultural renaissance.
“This is a historic moment for Nigeria, the Ministry, and the good people of the Benin Kingdom,” she said. “We are still in active discussions with several holders of these artifacts around the world, and very soon, the process of returning more of them to their rightful owners will begin.”
She commended the Foreign Affairs Ministry for its diplomatic support and reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to pursuing the restitution of stolen cultural objects in line with global best practices.
Speaking earlier, the Director General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Olugbile Holloway, hailed the return as a landmark achievement decades in the making.
He expressed gratitude to all institutions and individuals who played a role, including HRH Prince Aghatise Erediauwa, whose advocacy helped sustain the pressure for the artifacts’ repatriation.
“What we are witnessing today is the return of a huge part of Nigeria’s history,” Holloway said. “This is symbolic not just to Benin but to Nigeria’s entire restitution struggle. Beyond the Benin Bronzes, we also have objects from Ife and other regions awaiting return, making this event profoundly historic despite the small gathering.”
A symbolic transfer of the artifacts took place shortly afterward, with Ambassador Tuggar handing them over to Minister Musawa in the presence of three high-ranking chiefs representing the Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II.
The ceremony was attended by senior management of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, and officials of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments.
The handover marks another victory for Nigeria’s ongoing global campaign for the repatriation of cultural heritage stolen during colonial occupation, bolstering the wider movement for cultural justice and historical redress.
