The Netherlands said Wednesday it was returning more than 100 “Benin Bronzes” to Nigeria that British troops looted in the late 19th century and ended up in a Dutch museum. The European country stated this in a statement on Wednesday, saying the move followed a request by the Nigerian government.
The 113 pieces are the biggest haul returned to Nigeria from the 1897 raid, said Olugbile Holloway, Director General of the Nigerian National Commission for Museums and Monuments. “At the request of Nigeria, the Netherlands is returning 113 ‘Benin Bronzes’ from the National Collection. Minister Eppo Bruins (OCW) has decided to return them,” the statement read.
According to the statement, the transfer agreement will be signed on Wednesday by the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture, and Science, Eppo Bruins, and the Director-General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Olugbile Holloway. “With this return, we are contributing to the redress of a historical injustice that is still felt today,” said Dutch Culture, Education, and Science Minister Eppo Bruins.
The Netherlands’ return of these artefacts follows similar ones by other countries, such as Germany, the United States, and the United Kingdom. British soldiers stole the ancient sculptures, including depictions of royal figures and animals, in 1897 from the Kingdom of Benin in modern-day Nigeria. However, the British Museum in London has refused to return any of its famed collection. A law passed in 1963 technically prevents the museum from giving back the treasures.
The treasures were then sold and had been displayed at the Wereldmuseum (World Museum) in Leiden.
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