In a landmark move, the Netherlands is set to return 119 looted Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, marking a pivotal moment in the global effort to repatriate cultural artifacts. The Dutch embassy in Nigeria confirmed on Thursday, June 5, that these significant items are expected to arrive in the week of June 16, with a formal handover ceremony scheduled for June 21 at the National Museum in Lagos.
Following the ceremony in Lagos, the bronzes will be transported to their place of origin, the National Museum in Benin City, Edo State. This upcoming repatriation is believed to constitute the single largest consignment of Benin Bronzes ever returned to Nigeria by any nation.
These highly revered bronzes are part of the thousands of sacred and ceremonial objects plundered by British forces during their punitive expedition against the Benin Kingdom in 1897. A vast number of these stolen artifacts subsequently found their way into various museums and private collections across Europe and North America.
The Dutch embassy had previously acknowledged in February that these artifacts should never have been taken to the Netherlands in the first place. Bengt van Loosdrech, the ambassador-designate to Nigeria, highlighted that Nigeria has been advocating for the return of these bronzes for over five decades. This repatriation underscores a broader international movement confronting the legacy of colonial-era looting, as nations and institutions increasingly face demands to return stolen cultural heritage to its rightful owners.
