Ownership of the Benin Bronzes Becomes More Complicated

Efforts to return the Benin bronzes to Nigeria have faced unexpected hurdles. Plans to establish a trust to manage the items and work out how they would be displayed fell apart when the Nigerian King, the oba, declared he should be the sole recipient. Nigerian officials then devised alternate plans, such as building a royal museum in Benin City to display the items.

However, President Buhari recently issued a surprise announcement, declaring that the items would be returned to Nigeria. The museum commissioner, Abba Tijani, has said he will challenge the president’s decision, citing errors in the transfer authorisation. Nigerian legal experts have speculated that Tijani could either go to court to force a change or hope that the new President, Bola Tinubu, issues a decree to override Buhari.

The recent turn of events has demonstrated the complexities surrounding restitution and the potential obstacles faced in returning artefacts. Despite this, museum curators remain committed to returning the Benin bronzes to Nigeria. Curator Barbara Plankensteiner from Germany’s Museum am Rothenbaum stated that the bronzes were colonial loot and rightfully belonged in Nigeria, and that it was up to Nigeria to decide how to handle the items.