Germany, in a bid to “right a wrong” on Tuesday handed over 22 artefacts stolen 100 years ago back to Nigeria.
In the 19th century, metal plaques, sculptures and objects which were hailed as some of the finest African art, were stolen by foreigners from the ancient Kingdom of Benin City and taken to museums and art collections across the US and Europe.
Germany’s return of part of the hundreds of bronzes it still holds comes as international momentum grows for the restoration of African artefacts from former colonial powers including Britain, France and Belgium.
For the return of the artefacts, the German Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, reportedly travelled to Abuja, Nigeria’s capital to personally hand over the objects which included figureheads and other artefacts to the Nigerian government.
At the handover event, Baerbock said, “What we are returning is a part of your history, what we are returning is a part of who you are. We are here to right a wrong.”
History has it that many of the Nigerian artefacts were originally taken in 1897 when a British military expedition attacked and destroyed Benin City, making off thousands of metal and ivory sculptures and carvings.
After being shipped to the UK in the late 19th Century, many were auctioned off and some were bought by German collectors, Germany’s foreign ministry has said.
AFP reports that a new online archive “Digital Benin” has started to provide a centralised hub of images and descriptions of more than 5,000 artefacts held in 131 institutions around the world.
The project, which is said to have begun planning and research two years ago, was inaugurated in November in Benin City, the Edo State capital.
It could also be recalled that the Republic of Benin had earlier this year inaugurated an exhibition of artworks and treasures returned by France after two years of negotiations.
The 26 pieces of artwork were stolen in 1892 by the French colonial forces from the capital of the former Kingdom of Dahomey.
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