19th-Century Bronze Artifacts From Nigeria Looted by British Soldiers in 1897 to Be Returned by UK Museum

Courtesy of Horniman Museum and Gardens via AP

A London museum agreed Sunday to return a collection of Benin Bronzes looted in the late 19th century from what is now Nigeria as cultural institutions throughout Britain come under pressure to repatriate artifacts acquired during the colonial era.

The Horniman Museum and Gardens in southeast London said that it would transfer a collection of 72 items to the Nigerian government. The decision comes after Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments formally asked for the artifacts to be returned earlier this year and following a consultation with community members, artists, and schoolchildren in Nigeria and the UK, the museum said.

“The evidence is very clear that these objects were acquired through force, and external consultation supported our view that it is both moral and appropriate to return their ownership to Nigeria,’’ Eve Salomon, chair of the museum’s board of trustees, said in a statement. “The Horniman is pleased to be able to take this step, and we look forward to working with the NCMM to secure longer term care for these precious artifacts.’’

When Did British Forces Take the Benin Bronzes from What is Now Nigeria?

British forces carried out a raid on Benin City in 1897 and looted more than 3,000 items. While some of these priceless antiques were handed to acting officers or sold at auction, others were donated to museums.

The about 5,000 objects collectively referred to as Benin Bronzes, the majority of which date from the 13th to the 16th century, are not from modern-day Benin but rather from the adjacent former Kingdom of Benin. British colonial troops plundered the wealthy capital of the monarchy, Benin City, in 1897.

A Benin copper alloy plaque representing an encounter between Benin Chief Uwangue and Portuguese traders, who are depicted to his left and right. Courtesy of Horniman Museum and Gardens via AP

The Horniman’s collection is a small part of the 3,000 to 5,000 artifacts taken from the Kingdom of Benin in 1897 when British soldiers attacked and occupied Benin City as Britain expanded its political and commercial influence in West Africa. The British Museum alone holds more than 900 objects from Benin, and National Museums Scotland has another 74. Others were distributed to museums around the world.

The artifacts include plaques, animal and human figures, and items of royal regalia made from brass and bronze by artists working for the royal court of Benin. The general term Benin Bronzes is sometimes applied to items made from ivory, coral, wood, and other materials as well as the metal sculptures.

Countries including Nigeria, Egypt, and Greece, as well indigenous peoples from North America to Australia, are increasingly demanding the return of artifacts and human remains amid a global reassessment of colonialism and the exploitation of local populations.

Did the British Museum Return the Benin Bronzes?

Surprisingly, the British Museum, which looks after more than 900 bronzes, is prohibited under the British Museum (1963) and Heritage (1983) acts from giving them back.

This return of artefacts is the first British collection to be sent back for ethical reasons. At handover ceremonies in October 2021, single sculptures were given to Nigerian officials, including a cockerel and a ba’s head from Aberdeen University and Jesus College Cambridge.

Nigeria and Germany recently signed a deal for the return of hundreds of Benin Bronzes. That followed French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision last year to sign over 26 pieces known as the Abomey Treasures, priceless artworks of the 19th-century Dahomey kingdom in present-day Benin, a small country that sits just west of Nigeria.

But British institutions have been slower to respond.

Has the British Museum Returned Any Artifacts?

72 objects that were abducted more than a century ago will be returned to the Nigerian government by a British museum. The Horniman Museum and Gardens granted the Nigerian government’s request for the items, which included many sculptures referred to as Benin bronzes.

According to the British Museum, the collection designated for the return consists of 12 Benin bronzes, most of which are brass.

A brass plaque depicting Agban, the Ezomo (deputy commander in chief of the Benin army), toward the end of the reign of Oba Orhogbua (circa 1550–1578) and the start of the reign of Oba Ehengbuda (circa 1578–1608). Courtesy of Horniman Museum and Gardens via AP

Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Information and Culture formally asked the British Museum to return its Benin Bronzes in October of last year.

The museum said Sunday that it is working with a number of partners in Nigeria and it is committed to a “thorough and open investigation” of the history of the Benin artifacts and the looting of Benin City.

“The museum is committed to active engagement with Nigerian institutions concerning the Benin Bronzes, including pursuing and supporting new initiatives developed in collaboration with Nigerian partners and colleagues,” the British Museum says on its website.

The Horniman Museum also traces its roots to the Age of Empire.

The museum opened in 1890, when tea merchant Frederick Horniman opened his collection of artifacts from around the world for public viewing.

A brass plaque depicting a war chief and a royal military priest carrying a leather gift box. Courtesy of Horniman Museum and Gardens via AP

Amid the Black Lives Matter organization’s actions, the museum embarked on a “reset agenda,’’ more in favor of social justice and “sustainability.”

The museum’s website acknowledges that Frederick Horniman’s involvement in the Chinese tea trade meant he benefitted from low prices due to Britain’s sale of opium in China and the use of poorly compensated and sometimes forced labor.

The Horniman also said that it holds items “obtained through colonial violence.”

These include the Horniman’s collection of Benin Bronzes, comprising 12 brass plaques, as well as a brass cockerel altar piece, ivory and brass ceremonial objects, brass bells, and a key to the king’s palace. The bronzes are currently displayed along with information acknowledging their forced removal from Benin City and their contested status.

“We recognize that we are at the beginning of a journey to be more inclusive in our stories and our practices, and there is much more we need to do,” the museum says on its website. “This includes reviewing the future of collections that were taken by force or in unequal transactions.”

Epoch Times staff contributed to this report.

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