Lagos, Nigeria - In a major step towards redressing the historical wrongs of colonial plunder, the Netherlands has returned 119 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria — over 120 years after they were violently taken during Britain’s invasion of the ancient Benin Kingdom.

The ceremonial handover took place at the National Museum in Lagos, where Nigeria’s cultural authorities described the return as both symbolic and significant. The artefacts, part of the globally scattered Benin Bronzes collection, are treasured cultural relics looted during a brutal 1897 expedition by British troops.

“These are not just objects — they are embodiments of the spirit and identity of the people from whom they were stolen,” said Olugbile Holloway, Director-General of Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments.

Addressing dignitaries and cultural leaders, Holloway called for a global standard of respect and dignity in the treatment of African heritage. “All we ask of the world is to treat us with fairness, dignity, and respect,” he stated.

The Benin Bronzes — intricate sculptures and plaques crafted from metal and ivory between the 16th and 18th centuries — were among thousands of cultural treasures looted by British forces under the command of Sir Henry Rawson. The violent raid saw Benin City razed, its royal palace sacked, and Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi, the reigning monarch, sent into exile.

Now, more than a century later, a global reckoning with colonial-era theft is beginning to take shape. Nigeria’s call for repatriation, formalized in 2022, has led to the gradual return of its looted heritage from museums and institutions across the West.

In that same year, 72 objects were returned from a London museum, while 31 more were handed back from Rhode Island in the United States. Germany has also pledged to return more than 1,000 artefacts in what is set to be one of the largest repatriation efforts in modern history.

Of the 119 items returned by the Netherlands, four are now on public display in the courtyard of the Lagos museum, with the remainder destined for the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, the traditional ruler and cultural custodian of the Benin Kingdom, in modern-day Edo State.

This handover marks not just the restoration of material heritage, but a moment of cultural healing for Nigeria and the descendants of the Benin people.

“The return of these objects is about more than restitution — it is about reclaiming our narrative,” a museum official told WafricNews. “Each sculpture tells a story of artistry, kingship, and spiritual continuity that was violently disrupted by imperial conquest.”

The Benin Bronzes have become a focal point in the global movement to decolonize museums and repatriate looted artefacts. Pressure has been mounting on European and American institutions to confront the origins of their collections and engage with African nations on rightful ownership.

For Nigeria, each returned item is part of a broader effort to rebuild trust, sovereignty, and cultural pride — one artefact at a time.

“This is the beginning of a larger journey,” Holloway said. “And we hope more nations will follow suit.”


By WafricNews Desk.