The Netherlands on Tuesday returned a historic Benin artefact to Nigeria, 129 years after it was seized during the British invasion of the Benin Kingdom in 1897.
The artefact was formally presented to the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, at his palace in Benin City during events marking the monarch’s 10th coronation anniversary.
Dutch Consul General Frank Keurnorst and Beatrice van Bormann, executive director of Museum De Fundatie in the Netherlands, handed over the object, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.
Lucky Imasue, chairman of the 10th Coronation Anniversary Committee and a former Edo State deputy governor, described the return as a major success in the kingdom’s long campaign to recover its cultural treasures.
“The recovered artefacts originally belonged to the Oba of Benin and served as historical records documenting the kingdom’s royal traditions, governance and cultural heritage,” Imasue said.
He noted that successive Benin monarchs had sought the objects’ return, with momentum increasing under Oba Ewuare II, whose diplomatic experience strengthened international efforts. The Federal Government, through the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, recognises the artefacts’ historical link to the Benin Palace, he added.
Oba Ewuare II welcomed the return and thanked the Netherlands for its role in the restitution process. He also acknowledged the presence of Portuguese Ambassador Paulo Santos and the Dutch consul general at the ceremony, and outlined plans to deepen cultural and historical ties with Portugal, citing centuries-old connections that influenced the Holy Aruosa Church in Benin.
The handover forms part of broader Nigerian efforts to reclaim thousands of objects taken in 1897. In February 2025, the Netherlands announced it would return 113 Benin Bronzes, one of the largest such restitutions by a European country. Germany agreed in 2022 to return 1,130 Benin Bronzes, while institutions in the United Kingdom and the United States have also repatriated artefacts.
Authorities say the returns support cultural preservation, museum development and tourism opportunities in Nigeria.
