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The Netherlands has returned a Benin artefact to the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, 129 years after British forces invaded the Benin Kingdom in 1897.
The artefact was presented at the Oba’s Palace in Benin City on Tuesday, October 20, as part of activities marking the monarch’s 10th coronation anniversary.
Chief Lucky Imasue, chairman of the coronation anniversary committee and a former deputy governor of Edo State, said the Netherlands had taken the initiative to return artefacts removed from the Benin Kingdom during the 1897 invasion.
Imasue said all Benin artefacts belonged to the Oba, regardless of how many were returned. He added that more artefacts were expected to come back.
He said the artefact was presented by the Netherlands’ Consul General, FraHe said the artefact was presented by the Netherlands’ Consul General, Frank Keurnorst, and Beatrice van Bormann, executive director of Museum De Fundatie in the Netherlands.
Imasue described the return as significant because it came 129 years after the invasion and exactly 10 years after Oba Ewuare II’s coronation.
He explained that the artefacts recorded the history, culture and greatness of the Benin Kingdom. According to him, the objects were kept in the palace before they were taken away during the invasion.
He said efforts to recover the artefacts began under previous Obas but gained more attention under Ewuare II, whose diplomatic experience as a former ambassador helped strengthen the campaign.Imasue added that the Federal Government, through the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, recognised that the artefacts were taken from the Oba’s palace and should be returned there.
He thanked the Dutch government and people for returning the artefact and choosing the monarch’s coronation anniversary for the presentation.
The ceremony was also attended by Portugal’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Paulo Santos.
In his anniversary speech, Oba Ewuare II praised the Netherlands for returning the historical object after more than a century. He also thanked the Portuguese ambassador and Dutch consul general for attending the event.
The monarch said he planned to strengthen cultural and historical relations between the Benin Kingdom and Portugal.
He recalled that the Holy Aruosa Church inHe recalled that the Holy Aruosa Church in Benin was established during the Portuguese era.
According to him, his ancestors tried to embrace Catholicism while maintaining their traditional beliefs, leading to the development of a church whose practices and regalia reflected Catholic influences.
“The Benin Kingdom maintains its traditional spiritual portals of communication with Almighty God,” the monarch said.
Ewuare II also recalled his time as Nigeria’s ambassador in Rome, where he learnt that the Vatican had begun recognising African traditional religions.
He commended Van Bormann for her commitment to the artefact’s return and for helping to achieve the goal.
English (US) ·