Aduragbemi Omiyale
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The Nigerian government has asked its German counterpart to return the 1,130 looted artefacts from the country many years ago without any condition attached to it.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Mohammed, said during a meeting with representatives of the German government on Wednesday that the items do not belong to them but to Nigeria and must be returned.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Mr Segun Adeyemi, on Thursday, the Minister stressed that Nigeria will not accept the substantial return of the artefacts but the full return.
According to him, the issue of provenance, which has to do with the place of origin of the artefacts, should not be allowed to unduly delay the repatriation of the artworks, adding that, “’That they are known as Benin Bronzes is already a confirmation of their source of origin (which is Benin).”
Mr Mohammed said there was the need for the parties to commit to definite timelines for the return of the Benin Bronzes as it was necessary to conclude all necessary negotiations in a very short term.
He said the ongoing discussion between Nigeria and Germany on the return of the artworks is not just the end of an era but the beginning of a new vista of stronger relations, pivoted by cultural diplomacy, between both countries.
The Minister thanked Germany for taking the lead in the global efforts to repatriate all artefacts that were looted from Nigeria and indeed from the African continent.
“We see Germany as a leader in the efforts to take practical steps to repatriate our stolen artefacts, and we hope Germany will sustain that lead,” he said when he led a delegation to the German Minister of State for Culture, Prof Monika Grutters.
Also speaking at the meeting, the Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, expressed his excitement over the development, noting that his government was already building a “transformational museum” in Benin City to house the artefacts upon their return.
The Governor said he was attending the talks to demonstrate the strong partnership involving the Federal Government of Nigeria, the (Benin) royal family and the people of Edo State.
For his part, the Nigerian Ambassador to Germany, Mr Yusuf Tuggar, said the issue of the repatriation of the Benin Bronzes should be seen as an opportunity to take the cooperation between Nigeria and Germany to a greater height.
“This is an opportunity that must not be missed. Minor issues should not delay the repatriation,” he said, commending the government of Germany for taking the lead in the repatriation process.
Earlier, the German Minister of State for Culture, Prof. Grutters, said “the way we deal with the issue of Benin Bronzes is important to addressing our colonial past,” describing the issues as “an important personal concern.”
She disclosed that the 1,130 artefacts would be returned to Nigeria from the beginning of 2022, noting that the fact that Germany has twice sent delegations to Nigeria for talks over the planned repatriation was an indication that both sides have moved beyond mere talks, saying all the Museums in Germany that are holding Benin Bronzes have agreed to cooperate.
