Benin Bronze: Joy as Britain Set to Return Nigeria's Historical Sculpture after being Stolen 120 Years Ago
- For the first time in over 100 years, Nigeria will set sights on its historical Benin Bronze
- The sculpture will be released by the University of Aberdeen and returned back to the country
- Numerous historical artefacts were stolen in an "extremely immoral" way by the colonialists in 1897
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The University of Aberdeen has disclosed plans to return the Benin Bronze, a historical artefact stolen from Nigeria by the colonial imperialists.
The disclosure was made on Thursday, March 25, by Neil Curtis, Aberdeen's head of museums and special collections, who said the Bronze representing an Oba, or ruler of the Kingdom of Benin was "blatantly looted."
Thousands of artworks, sculptures, metal castings and historical artefacts were carted away by British soldiers from the old Benin Kingdom in 1897.
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Curtis said the Bronze, which was later purchased in 1957, was taken out of Nigeria "extremely immoral" way before negotiation for its return was facilitated in 2019, CNN reports.
Speaking on the development, Abba Isa Tijani, a professor and the director-general of Nigeria's National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NNCMM), stated that seeing the historical Bronze inside Nigeria will be a thing of joy.
He maintained further that the bronze represents and symbolises the rich and unique history of Nigeria and its identity.
"It's part of our identity, part of our heritage... which has been taken away from us for many years," the NNCMM boss said.
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In a related story, Legit.ng reported that when it comes to culture and tradition in Nigeria, the Benin people and their institutions remain one of the best as the indigenes grow up knowing every 'commandment' whether written or handed down by elders.
The Benin monarch, being the chief custodian of the traditions, is also well-revered with most of his utterances are seen and taken as law. This is why an occupier of the throne is also referred to as a god-king.
Source: Legit.ng
