Oba Of Benin Welcomes Return Of Two Stolen Artifacts From The U.S

Oba Of Benin Welcomes Return Of Two Stolen Artifacts From The U.S

The Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, has received two looted artifacts from the University of Iowa Museum, United States of America.

The returned artifacts, a mother hen and a bronze plaque, were among those looted from the Benin palace during the British invasion of 1897.

During a ceremony at his palace on Monday, July 15, 2024, the Oba expressed his gratitude, noting that the immediate past president of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, had clarified the ownership of artifacts through a recent gazette before leaving office.

The monarch, delighted by the return of these items, mentioned that his predecessors had initiated the process of reclaiming the artifacts, but it was during his reign that the efforts bore fruit.

He emphasized the spiritual significance of these artifacts, stating that their importance extends beyond their physical form, which is not easily understood by mere mortals.

The Oba also urged political leaders to preserve the traditions and customs of the land. “I must commend the immediate past president of the country, President Muhammadu Buhari, who made the ownership of artifacts very clear through his recent gazette before he left office,” the Oba said. “My forebears started the process of ensuring the artifacts’ return, but I was able to accomplish the feat when I ascended the throne. These artifacts are not mere items; they have spiritual implications that mere mortals cannot understand.”

He appealed to political leaders to help preserve the traditions and customs of the land.

Earlier, Cory Gundlach, a curator from the African Art department at the University of Iowa Museum, apologized to the Oba on behalf of the university for using the artifacts as teaching materials. He assured the monarch of his commitment to ensuring that other artifacts held elsewhere