The Netherlands has announced plans to return 119 Benin Bronzes that were looted by British troops from Nigeria’s Benin Kingdom in 1897 and later acquired by Dutch museums. The artefacts, which include figurines, tusks, sculptures of Benin’s rulers, and an ivory mask, have been displayed for decades at the Wereldmuseum in the Netherlands.
Olugbile Holloway, Director-General of Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), described the move as the “largest repatriation of Benin antiquities” to date. A transfer agreement is expected to be signed on Wednesday, marking a significant step toward the restitution of Africa’s stolen heritage.
“These artefacts hold deep historical and spiritual significance for the people of Benin. Their return is long overdue,” Holloway stated, expressing hope that other nations will follow the example set by the Dutch government.
Germany was the first country to repatriate Benin Bronzes in 2022, returning over 20 artefacts as part of efforts to confront its colonial past. Dutch Minister of Culture, Education, and Science Eppo Bruins echoed this sentiment, stating, “With this return, we are contributing to the redress of a historical injustice that is still felt today.”
The move is expected to increase pressure on other institutions, particularly the British Museum, which houses over 900 Benin Bronzes but is restricted from returning them due to UK legislation. Protests and campaigns demanding their repatriation have been ongoing.
Nigeria has been actively pushing for the return of its stolen heritage and has submitted formal repatriation requests to museums worldwide. In anticipation of the artefacts’ return, the country is set to open the Edo Museum of West African Art in Benin City by 2026, designed by British-Ghanaian architect Sir David Adjaye, to house the largest collection of Benin Bronzes ever assembled.
