President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to nations, institutions and bodies to return Nigeria’s artefacts in their possession.
The President made the call in a statement by his Senior
Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, in the aftermath
of the return of two important Nigerian artefacts from Britain.
He welcomed the official handover, on Saturday, of the
Okwukor and the Head of an Oba of Benin bronzes, to the Oba of Benin, His Royal
Highness, Oba Ewuare II.
They were repatriated from the University of Cambridge and
University of Aberdeen in the United Kingdom after 125 years of leaving
Nigeria.
Urging other countries to take a cue from the institutions,
the President vowed that the Federal Government will pursue the repatriation of
Nigerian artefacts vigorously.
He pledged that government would ensure that they are put to
good and proper use on their return in museums and other facilities in
conjunction with the royal families and kingdoms that lost these artefacts.
The President noted that in line with international law and
practice, export, import and control over antiquities are matters within the
purview of national governments to be exercised on behalf of sub-national
authorities, institutions and bodies.
He thanked the Government of the United Kingdom that
facilitated the return of these artefacts by issuing the prerequisite Export
Permits to Nigeria at no cost as well as the University of Cambridge and the
University of Aberdeen who agreed to return these artefacts to Nigeria.
”These are unprecedented moves worth emulating by others,”
he said, adding that the Federal Government hopes to work hand in hand in the
future to encourage the return of more Nigerian artefacts from the United
Kingdom.
”I also want to appreciate the Federal Republic of Germany
which is planning the process of repatriating 1,130 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria
from many of Germany’s public museums. These returns are scheduled for this
year.”
The President also commended the High Commissioner of
Nigeria to the United Kingdom, Sarafa Ishola, and the National Commission for
Museums and Monuments (NCMM) for their collaborative works that led to the
repatriation of these artefacts.
The President said it is noteworthy that several others are
currently in the process of being returned while discussions are ongoing to
repatriate many more.
Buhari recounted that the artefacts returned to the Oba of
Benin were taken away by British soldiers in 1897 when they attacked the
ancient Benin Kingdom and took thousands of artefacts away.
”These artefacts are part of the records of the history of
the Benin people.
”My directive to return these artefacts to the Oba of Benin
marks the beginning of another aspect in the highly valued relationship between
the Federal Government of Nigeria and our traditional institutions who are
indeed the true custodians of our history, customs and traditions.
”This directive is also significant because it will
introduce a working relationship between the Federal Government as represented
by the NCMM and the traditional institutions whereby this Commission negotiates
the release of antiquities from foreign museums and institutions on behalf of
Nigeria and the traditional institutions that lost the antiquities and jointly they
all take steps to ensure the valourisation of Nigerian and Nigerian people
through these great arts and cultural emblems,” the President explained.
- Nation