Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) will oversee the recovery and custody of the Benin Bronzes, with the approval of the Oba, the royal ruler of the Benin Kingdom, who was designated the sole owner and custodian of the artifacts nearly two years ago.
The Benin Bronzes, looted by British soldiers during the 1897 raid on the Kingdom of Benin, are some of Africa’s most significant cultural treasures and are mostly housed in European institutions.
In March 2023, former President Muhammadu Buhari signed a decree affirming the Oba’s rightful ownership of the returned bronzes and his role in overseeing their care. However, due to a lack of infrastructure, the Oba has authorized the NCMM to display, conserve, and seek reparations for the artifacts.
Olugbile Holloway, NCMM’s director general, confirmed that this agreement resolves previous uncertainties regarding the bronzes’ custody.
In 2023, a planned return of over 100 artifacts by the University of Cambridge was delayed due to the decree, but Holloway expressed optimism that an agreement for their return would soon be reached.
“The return is not just about displaying the objects, but restoring our people’s dignity and righting the wrongs of 1897,” he said.