African Artefacts Heading Back Home at Last
French President Emmanuel Macron has agreed to return 26 cultural artefacts to Benin "without delay", a move that could put pressure on other former colonial powers to return African artworks to their countries of origin. The British Museum has agreed to "loan" the plaques back to Benin Royal Museum in Edo State for an exhibition within three years. More than 1,000 of the bronzes are held at museums across Europe, with the most valuable collection at the British Museum in London.
Wooden masks
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Africa:
'Give Africa Its Art Back', Macron's Report Recommends
This is Africa, 22 November 2018
A new report on the status of African artefacts held in various French museums will recommend the president to return the pieces which were stolen or taken "without consent" during… Read more »
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Nigeria:
Oba of Benin to Build World-Class Museum to Fast-Track Recovery of Stolen Artefacts
This Day, 5 April 2018
Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said the state government is working with the Benin Monarch, Oba Ewuare II, to build a world-class Royal Museum, to hold stolen… Read more »
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Nigeria:
Why Proposed 'Loaning' of Looted Benin Artefacts to Nigeria May Stop Restitution Plans
Guardian, 11 July 2018
Exhibition of loaned controversial cultural objects, particularly, looted Benin artefacts, is not new. Some foreign museum holders of these artefacts, in the past, had collaborated… Read more »
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Nigeria:
Unending Talks About Return of Stolen Benin Artifacts
Vanguard, 10 September 2018
Last week, the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, renewed his call on the British Government to return to Benin Kingdom, all the artifacts stolen in 1897 when British forces invaded the… Read more »
InFocus
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The British Museum will take part in a European summit to discuss the return of art seized from the Benin kingdom, now part of southern Nigeria, by a British punitive expedition in ... Read more »
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A collaborative effort by the government and France have led to the repatriation of stolen artifacts back to Nigeria. Read more »