Nigeria is set to receive a significant boost to its cultural heritage, with the return of 119 looted Benin Bronzes from the Netherlands this June, according to the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM).
These artefacts, plundered during the British raid on the Benin Kingdom in 1897, have resided in the Netherlands until now. The collection includes 113 pieces from the Dutch State Collection and six from the Municipality of Rotterdam.
A repatriation agreement was officially signed on Wednesday between the two nations at the Wereldmuseum in Leiden, Netherlands, where the bronzes were previously exhibited.
Olugbile Holloway, Director-General of the NCMM, confirmed the return in a statement on Monday, explaining that the 119 bronzes will be repatriated in stages. He emphasised the return is the result of years of collaborative efforts and a strong relationship between the two countries.
“The NCMM formally requested the unconditional return of the Benin Bronzes held in the Netherlands back in September 2022,” Holloway explained. “Discussions reignited at the European Union and African Union conference in Ethiopia in July 2024, and following numerous discussions and a favourable recommendation from the independent Colonial Collections Committee in November 2024, the Dutch government decided to return the 119 Benin Bronzes.”
This repatriation represents the largest single return of Benin artefacts directly linked to the 1897 British punitive expedition, with the first batch expected in Nigeria by June.
“This achievement is built upon years of dedicated joint work and the enduring friendship between our nations, demonstrated by regular diplomatic consultations on bilateral relations and shared interests,” Holloway added.
He also acknowledged the Netherlands’ commitment to justice and the invaluable support provided by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Nigeria to the NCMM, stressing their crucial role in facilitating this repatriation.
Holloway expressed gratitude to the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, and the Honourable Minister, Hannatu Musawa, for their invaluable support in making this important development a reality.
