Benin palace to receive 40 artefacts repatriated from Sweden

By Jethro Ibileke

The Palace of the Oba of Benin is set to receive about 40 artefacts repatriated from Sweden on Thursday, in the latest effort to recover cultural treasures looted from the ancient Kingdom.

The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, disclosed the planned handover on Wednesday when he received the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), at his palace.

According to the monarch, the exercise will involve both the formal transfer of ownership and the physical delivery of the artefacts, marking another milestone in the palace’s sustained campaign to reclaim objects taken from the Kingdom during the 1897 British invasion.

“Tomorrow, more artefacts are coming from that Sweden that I said, as a result of our effort many years back,” Oba Ewuare said.

He attributed the latest return to years of diplomatic engagement, including his previous service as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Scandinavian countries.

The Oba recalled that, during his diplomatic assignment, he proposed presenting Benin artworks to the royal families of Sweden, Norway and Denmark as a way of drawing attention to the Kingdom’s rich cultural heritage and strengthening the case for restitution.

He said efforts to recover the artefacts had gained momentum, pledging that he would sustain the campaign and build on the initiatives of his predecessors to reclaim the Kingdom’s cultural property.

The monarch also expressed appreciation to the Federal Government, traditional institutions and other partners for their support in the recovery efforts.

Earlier, Marwa commended the artistic excellence and historical significance of Benin artefacts, describing the palace as a remarkable repository of cultural heritage.

He said his visit to Edo State was part of an assessment tour of the NDLEA state command and an engagement with participants at the Nigerian Army’s Second Regimental Sergeant Majors Convention.

Marwa said he was honoured to visit the historic palace and emphasised the importance of preserving its cultural legacy.

“There are seven wonders of the world. Look at the eighth wonder here,” he said.