The Netherlands will return 119 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, marking a significant move in the global effort to repatriate stolen cultural artifacts.
A statement from the Dutch embassy in Nigeria confirmed that the return agreement will be finalized on Wednesday by Dutch Minister of Education, Culture, and Science, Eppo Bruins, and Olugbile Holloway, Director-General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM).
The artifacts are expected to arrive in Nigeria later this year. Of the 119 objects, 113 belong to the Dutch State Collection, while six are held by the Municipality of Rotterdam.
Minister Bruins emphasized that returning the Benin Bronzes addresses historical injustices. At a signing event in Leiden, the Netherlands, he stated, “This restitution is crucial to rectifying a historical wrong that continues to be felt today.”
He also praised Nigeria’s longstanding efforts to reclaim the looted artifacts, stating, “Nigeria has fought for over fifty years to retrieve the Benin Bronzes. This act underscores the strength of our partnership.”
For Nigeria, Holloway called the return a major milestone. “This is the largest return of Benin antiquities tied to the 1897 British punitive expedition,” he noted. “We thank the Netherlands for their cooperation and hope this sets an example for other countries.”
The Netherlands’ action follows similar returns by Germany, the U.S., and the UK. In 2022, Germany returned 1,030 Benin Bronzes, and the Smithsonian Institution and the Rhode Island School of Design returned 31 pieces. The Horniman Museum in London also transferred 72 objects to Nigeria.
However, the British Museum, which holds the largest collection of Benin Bronzes, has refused to return them, citing legal restrictions.
This repatriation is part of a broader movement to return African artifacts taken during the colonial era. It has sparked debate, particularly regarding where the returned items should be housed. In 2021, disagreements arose between Edo’s former governor, Godwin Obaseki, and Oba Ewuare II of Benin over whether the Benin Royal Museum or the proposed Edo Museum of West African Arts should house the artifacts.
In April 2023, the Nigerian government officially recognized the Oba of Benin as the rightful custodian of the Benin Bronzes.
