Germany has returned 20 Benin Bronzes that were looted in the 19th century to Nigeria at a ceremony that was held in Abuja, the country’s capital, earlier this week, western media reported. The return of these precious artefacts took place after Germany in July this year signed an agreement with Nigeria, pledging to transfer the ownership of around 1,100 Benin Bronzes. The German decision came amid renewed calls worldwide for western museums and nations to return artefacts plundered during the colonial period to their countries of origin. Earlier in October, the prestigious Smithsonian Museum returned 29 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria after launching an institution-wide review of its practices and ethical code. What are the Benin Bronzes? From intricately decorated cast plaques to animal and human figurines, the Benin Bronzes are a group of over 3,000 sculptures and artworks from the ancient Kingdom of Benin in present-day Nigeria, which dates back to at least the 16th century. These historical pieces were looted by British colonial forces during their infamous raid on Benin City in 1897. Several of these pieces had been specially commissioned for the kings or Obas, and Queen Mothers of the kingdom. These artefacts provide insight into the culture of the Benin Kingdom as well as its relationships with neighbouring states. Some of these pieces also point to the kingdom’s relationship with Europeans. How did they pass into European hands? In 1897, after seven British delegates were killed on their way to Benin City for a trade mission, the British launched a retaliatory military expedition which ultimately resulted in the city being captured. The Benin Royal Palace was partially destroyed and looted — thousands of artefacts were taken back to Great Britain. Since then, the items have been scattered around the world. Nigerian historians and activists have long been trying to get them back. The 20 Benin Bronzes returned by Germany on Tuesday include an 18th-century throne stool and a sculpture commemorating a Benin Oba (king). According to a report in The New York Times, these items will be displayed in a pavilion, which is being built in Benin City, next to the under-construction Edo Museum of West African Art — the ambitious project is being designed by the renowned British-Ghanaian architect Sir David Adjaye. Why did Germany decide to return the artefacts? The call for returning the Benin Bronzes got momentum after French President Emmanuel Macron in a historic speech during his visit to Burkina Faso in 2017 promised to return stolen or looted artefacts to their countries of origin. It was followed by another crucial moment when the Humboldt Forum — inaugurated in 2021, the museum in Berlin is dubbed as Germany’s equivalent to the Louvre or the British Museum — came under intense criticism for its ownership of looted art and other artefacts, including about 500 Benin Bronzes. According to The NYT report, in February 2019, in response to rising pressure from the global art community, then German Chancellor Angela Merkel invited a small number of historians and experts to dinner to discuss restitution. This culminated in the setting of certain guidelines for repatriating colonial-era artefacts that specified that all the wrongfully acquired objects should be returned to their rightful owners. Two years later, Germany signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Nigeria, after several rounds of negotiation, and later came to an official agreement to return more than 1,000 Benin Bronzes that were on display in the country’s museums. On the occasion of announcing this agreement in July this year, the European nation gave back two Benin Bronzes, including a head of a king, dating from the 18th century, and an intricately designed 16th-century plaque. After the transfer of 20 more of the artefacts on December 20, it is expected that many more will reach Nigeria by next year. According to The NYT report, some of the Benin Bronzes will stay in Germany on long-term loans. Which other looted artefacts have countries demanded to be returned? There have been repeated demands for the return of the Koh-i-Noor diamond, one of the largest and perhaps the most storied diamonds in the world, which was taken away by the British East India Company in 1849 and is now part of the British crown jewels. The other well-known example is the Rosetta Stone. Currently displayed at the British Museum, it is an ancient Egyptian stone that features the inscriptions that formed the basis of Egyptology itself. The stone was discovered by the army of Napoleon Bonaparte near the town of Rashid (Rosetta) in 1799 during the emperor’s campaign to conquer Egypt. It was passed on to the British after they defeated the French in 1801.
