Benin City, Nigeria – โA planned museum opening inโฃ Benin City was โฃdisrupted Sunday by protests centering on the display of repatriated Benin Bronzes, ancient artifactsโ looted from Nigeria in the late 19th century. Attendees, including international guests, were evacuated from the event as demonstrators voiced support for Oba Ewuare II, the city’s โฃcustomary ruler. No injuries were reported.
The museum,slated to officially open Tuesday,wasโ intended to house a meaningful collection of the returned Bronzes – โsculptures adn โฃplaques seized by โBritish soldiers during โa punitive expeditionโฃ in 1897 and later dispersed to museums worldwide. Theโฃ incident underscores โคongoing tensions surrounding the ownership and control of these culturally โsignificant objects,even as international institutions increasingly acknowledge the legitimacy of Nigeria’s claims and initiateโข repatriation efforts. โคThe future of the museum’s opening,and the display of the โขartifacts,remainsโค uncertain.
According to reports, the protests stemmed โขfrom disagreements between the Oba and museum organizers โฃregarding the exhibition of the returned Bronzes. A 2023 law signed by โฃthen-Presidentโ Muhammadu Buhari designates the Oba as the โฃcustodian of the museum’s artifacts. Plans to display the Bronzes were subsequently suspended. โ
Theโข museum, privately owned by the MOWAA trustโ – a non-profit established inโ 2020 – receives funding from the state government, the british Museum, German museums, and other grants.โ In a statement, the museum asserted the former state government has no financial interest in its operations. Nigeria’s federal government stated itโฃ is monitoring the situation “with deep concern.”
The disruption comes as Nigeria continues to receive returned artifacts from across the โglobe. In June, the Netherlands repatriated 119 Benin Bronzes, marking the largest single return to date. The ongoing effort to reclaim these cultural treasures represents a significant moment in post-colonial redress and a โrenewedโ focus on preserving Nigeria’s heritage.โ The museum has suspended furtherโฃ activities and โrequested visitors postpone their visits โฃuntil the situation is resolved. It has not yet responded to requests for โcomment from โthe associated Press.