US EditionNetherlands Hands Over 119 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria in Largest Single Repatriation
- On June 21, 2025, Nigeria received the official return of 119 historic Benin Bronze sculptures from the Netherlands during a ceremony held at Lagos's National Museum.
- These artefacts were looted by British forces in 1897 during a punitive expedition against the then-independent Kingdom of Benin in present-day southern Nigeria.
- The handover event featured representatives from both Nigeria and the Netherlands, underscoring the ongoing efforts in cultural diplomacy as Nigeria officially sought the restitution of numerous artifacts from institutions around the world in 2022.
- Olugbile Holloway described the return of the artefacts as the most significant repatriation of cultural items to Nigeria and the Benin people since the British took them from the Benin Kingdom over a century ago, highlighting the event's profound symbolic value.
- This restitution represents an important milestone in honoring cultural heritage and encourages continued collaboration, with Germany also pledging to return over 1,000 additional Benin Bronze artifacts.
108 Articles
108 Articles
Netherlands returns Benin Bronzes to Nigeria
The Netherlands returned more than 100 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, one of the largest-ever restitutions of colonial-era looted art. The statues, stolen from Benin City in modern-day Nigeria, were looted by British troops at the end of the 19th century and sold on to museums across Europe. Western nations have in recent years faced mounting pressure to return treasures, although some question the net benefit of the moves: Benin artifacts previously…
Nigeria: Implications of the Netherlands' Return of 119 Benin Bronzes
As we all know by now, the Netherlands has officially returned 119 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, marking the largest single repatriation of these historic artefacts since they were looted over 120 years ago during the British colonial invasion of the Benin Kingdom in 1897. The handover ceremony took place on June 21, 2025, at the National Museum in Lagos, attended by Nigerian and Dutch officials, including Olugbile Holloway, director-general of Nige…
The Netherlands on Saturday officially returned 119 culturally valuable and precious sculptures to Nigeria – which were stolen from the former kingdom of Benin more than 120 years ago.
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