Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2025

Daily Sabah - Latest & Breaking News from Turkey | Istanbul

  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Arts
  • Cinema
  • Music
  • Events
  • Portrait
  • Reviews
  • Performing Arts

Dutch museum returns Benin Bronzes to Nigeria after 128 years

by Agence France-Presse - AFP

LEIDEN, Netherlands May 21, 2025 - 10:33 am GMT+3
Employees open a glass case containing some of the 113 Benin Bronzes that are being returned to Nigeria, during a handing over ceremony at the Wereldmuseum (World Museum), Leiden, Netherlands, Feb. 19, 2025. (AFP Photo)
Employees open a glass case containing some of the 113 Benin Bronzes that are being returned to Nigeria, during a handing over ceremony at the Wereldmuseum (World Museum), Leiden, Netherlands, Feb. 19, 2025. (AFP Photo)
by Agence France-Presse - AFP May 21, 2025 10:33 am

Clad in protective blue surgical gloves, a Dutch museum worker gingerly unhooks a precious decorative artifact before gently laying it down on a pillow and wrapping it in dozens of layers of special paper.

The artifact is a "Benin Bronze," a priceless cultural object looted from modern-day Nigeria more than 120 years ago, now being removed from display and returned to its rightful home.

The Wereldmuseum (World Museum) in Leiden is restoring 113 of the ancient sculptures, the latest single return, as pressure mounts on Western governments and institutions to hand back the spoils of colonial oppression.

"These don't belong here. They were violently taken, so they need to go back," museum director Marieke van Bommel told Agence France-Presse (AFP) in an interview.

"This is a typical example of looted art," added the 50-year-old.

The story of the Benin Bronzes is one of violence and tragedy. It began when nine British officers were killed on a trade mission to the then-independent kingdom of Benin, in the south of present-day Nigeria.

The British reaction was fierce. London deployed a military expedition to avenge its officers. The troops killed several thousand locals and torched Benin's capital city.

They looted the royal palace, stealing hundreds of artworks, including the Benin Bronzes.

Most of the ornate bronzes were then sold to finance the expedition, auctioned off or sold to museums across Europe and the United States.

This was in 1897 and 128 years later, Nigeria is still negotiating the bronzes' return around the world – with mixed results.

The Netherlands has agreed to return 119 bronzes in total – six more are coming from Rotterdam – and Germany has also begun handing back its loot.

However, the British Museum in London has refused to return any of its famed collection.

A law passed in 1963 technically prevents the museum from giving back the treasures.

Follow this example

Museum director Van Bommel hopes the Dutch example will be picked up around the world.

"I think we all agree that this collection doesn't belong in European museums. We do hope that other countries will follow this example," she said.

The collection is priceless, said Van Bommel. "It's a cultural value, so we never put a price on it."

The museum in Leiden has also restored hundreds of pieces of colonial loot to Indonesia, a former Dutch colony, Mexico and a community in the U.S.

Van Bommel said they had struck a deal to keep four of the bronzes on loan, so visitors can continue to learn their story.

"We want to talk about the expedition, but also about the whole subject of restitution," she said.

In the meantime, the museum will replace its collection with a display of contemporary art.

As for the bronzes, they will be shipped to Lagos in mid-June.

Former Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari declared in 2023 that the returned works would be given to the Oba – the traditional ruler – and not to the Nigerian state.

There are plans to build a museum in Benin City in southern Edo state, where the bronzes will be a source of pride.

  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: May 21, 2025 2:44 pm
    KEYWORDS
    benin bronzes dutch museum nigeria artefacts repatriation
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    No Image
    Dia de Muertos: Day of the Dead celebrations 2021
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • DS TV
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021