Omo N’ Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare 11, Oba of Benin, has taken possession of 18 stolen artefacts that had been in the custody of the government of Switzerland for over125 years.
The objects included an ancestral head of a Benin Oba looted during the 1897 invasion of the Benin Royal Court by British troops during the reign of Oba Ovonramwen.

Oba Ewuare, who received a delegation from Switzerland led by the Director General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, NCMM, Holloway Olugbile on Thursday evening at his palace, insisted that cultural royal objects are not just for curiosity but they represent record of governance, spirituality and the artistry of Edo people forcefully taken.

In a press release by the chief press secretary to the Oba of Benin, Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Oba Ewuare expressed gratitude to the government of Switzerland, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Monday Okpebholo, the NCMM DG and his team, and other stakeholders for their effort towards the restitution process that led to the recovery of the priceless treasures.

According to the oba, “The Benin bronzes are not curiosity. They are records of governance, spirituality and curiosity of the Edo people taken by force. To delay their return is to continue dispossession by other means.”
Oba Ewuare also confirmed that the Benin Royal Court had received over 150 looted Benin bronzes since he ascended the throne, while giving historical account of the restitution process that began during the reign his grandfather, Oba Akenzua 11 after his father received the first batch of the returned artefacts, following the restoration of the palace by Oba Eweka 11 as a result of its breach by the British military invaders.

Oba Ewuare called on the German government to honour the 2022 agreement it voluntarily entered with the Nigerian government to return over 1000 Benin artworks and finalise logistics to keep them ahead of the repatriation of the artworks.

The monarch also charged officials of other museums in other countries that are illegally in possession of the looted Benin artefacts to address the colonial injustice against the cultural identity and values of Benin people.
He particularly profoundly commended former President of Nigeria, late Muhammadu Buhari and President Tinubu for their unwavering commitment to Nigeria’s cultural sovereignty and their invaluable support for the repatriation of looted artefacts to their original abode, as well as Governor Okpebholo, and the Edo State House of Assembly, for being advocates of justice.

Oba Ewuare, who expressed his joy with a rare move, danced round the cultural objects, saying, “I commend the National Museum and Monuments and its Director-General, Mr. Olugbile Holloway for their steadfastness in securing the return of the looted artefacts”.
Earlier in his remarks, Mr. Olugbile congratulated Oba Ewuare during the symbolic presentation of the artworks for keeping fidelity in NCMM.

He said, “I must say at this point that the Swiss, throughout the entire process, was extremely cooperative, extremely transparent. And they did everything within their powers to ensure that this day came sooner than later.

“Today (Thursday), we brought with us a total of 18 objects. Your Royal Majesty, as we have promised, we are committed to the return of these artefacts; the ownership has long been put to bed. It is our wish that the National Museum and Monuments will continue to earn the trust of your Royal Majesty”, Holloway said.
Addressing the Benin throne, the Consul-General of Switzerland Embassy in Nigeria, Conny Camenzind, expressed gratitude to the Oba and the government of both Nigeria and Switzerland for the historic return of the repatriated artworks, which she said symbolises sign of better things in future.

A Director from one of the museums in Switzerland, Prof. Alice Hertzog, commended Oba Ewuare for setting them on the right track in 2021 when the recovery process began.
The Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku who was joined by the Secretary to the state government, Umar Musa Ikhilor and members of the state executive council to receive the artefacts, described the event as homecoming.

He disclosed that the artefacts symbolised Benin history, identity and cultural pride of the people, vowing that the state government would sustain advocacy for the return of additional treasures.

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Adekunbi Ero

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