Netherlands returns looted Benin Bronzes to Nigeria

The Netherlands returns 113 'Benin Bronzes' from the National Collection at Nigeria's request. Minister Eppo Bruins (OCW) has decided on this return. In 1897, British soldiers looted these objects from the Kingdom of Benin (in present-day Nigeria) and sold them, eventually ending up in Dutch National Collection. The 'Benin Bronzes' are of great importance to Nigerian society, these objects are an important source of the history of the Kingdom of Benin. The objects include plaques, pendants and figures, and are currently in the collection of the World Museum. For this return, experts and representatives from both countries worked intensively together.

Minister Bruins: "With this restitution, we are helping to redress a historical injustice that is still felt. Heritage is essential for telling and living the history of a country and community. The Benin Bronzes are therefore indispensable to Nigeria, it is good that they are going back."

The signing of the transfer agreement by Minister Bruins and Olugbile Holloway, director-general of the Nigerian National Commission for Museums and Monuments, will take place on 19 February at Wereldmuseum Leiden.

Director-General Holloway: "The return from the Netherlands will be the largest return of antiquities from the Kingdom of Benin directly related to the British punitive expedition of 1897. We thank the Netherlands for its cooperation and hope it will set a good example in the field of restitution of lost or looted antiquities for other countries worldwide."

The return follows the advice of the Colonial Collections Committee chaired by Lilian Gonçalves-Ho Kang You. The objects will be returned to the Nigerian government, which will further decide how and where the objects will be displayed. The Wereldmuseum hopes that this return is not the end of a process, but the start of further museum cooperation between Nigeria and the Netherlands.

Refund from Rotterdam municipality

In addition to the return of 113 objects from the National Collection, on 19 February the municipality of Rotterdam will also return six objects belonging to the Benin Bronzes collection to Nigeria. These objects were also looted in 1897. They include a bell, three relief plates, a coconut holder and a staff.

Alderman Said Kasmi (Rotterdam): "Art and heritage belong where they belong. These objects belong in Nigeria. With this return, we are taking an important step in recognising the past and respecting the value these objects represent for Nigeria."

Opinion of Colonial Collections Committee

The Colonial Collections Committee advised the minister and the municipality of Rotterdam to return these objects based on provenance research conducted by the World Museum, in accordance with the Colonial Collections Policy. This advice was produced in close dialogue and cooperation with the Nigerian National Commission for Museums and Monuments. The Commission published its opinions on its website. This is the fifth time the Netherlands has made a return based on the Commission's opinions. Currently, the Commission is working on opinions on requests from Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia.