International Museum Day 2021: Germany to return Nigerian Artefacts

The German Government has commenced the process of repatriation of Benin artefacts to the Nigerian authorities.

The German authorities have continued follow-up meetings to effect earlier agreements in respect of the return of the artefacts.

At the meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, also renewed his call for the repatriation of all looted Nigerian artefacts while commending those countries that have heeded the call by returning such antiquities.

The Minister also appealed to Nigerians especially the elite to join the ongoing campaign to repatriate all looted Nigerian artefacts.

He thanked Nigerians who have established private museums as well as those who support the various public museums with their hard-earned resources, saying the elite in particular can offer support by adopting museums in their neighbourhoods

Repatriation campaigns
Mohammed said the campaign for the repatriation of looted artefacts, which was launched by the federal government in October 2019 has yielded fruits with the spate of return of stolen Nigerian antiquities from around the world.

He expressed appreciation to the German government and German museums, both of which are presently in the forefront of repatriating Nigerian antiquities.

Institution of claim
The Minister listed the efforts being made by the federal government to recover looted artefacts and said Nigeria has caused a claim to be instituted before the UNESCO’s mediation body, the Intergovernmental Committee for the Promotion of Return of Cultural Property (ICPRCP), for the return of an Ife bronze object to Nigeria, marking the first time ever that Nigeria will institute a claim before this international panel.

Ife bronze head
The Ife bronze head which was stolen from the National Museum in Jos in 1987, was acquired by an art gallery owner in Belgium, who is now demanding money from Nigeria before releasing it.

The Minister recalled that in January 2020, he met the Secretary of State for Culture of the United Kingdom to press Nigeria’s demand for
the release of the said Ife bronze head which is now being kept in the British Museum, expressing the hope that the matter would soon be resolved in favour of Nigeria.

”Also, after a vigorous pursuit, the United States has approved Nigeria’s request, under the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act (CPIA). 

The import of this approval is that any cultural property that is 250 years or older can never enter the United States of America from Nigeria unless with the official imprimatur of Nigeria,” he said, adding that such antiquities will be returned to Nigeria from the US border without the need for expensive litigations or diplomatic shuttles.

Forestalling further theft
Mohammed said in order to forestall further theft of the country’s antiquities and other heritage properties and
to enthrone better management in this field.

”We are placing the law pertaining to this sector before the National Assembly. We know they will give it every support and ensure its expeditious passage’, he added.’

Theme for the celebration
The Minister said the theme for this year’s International Museum Day:‘The Future of Museums; Recover and Imagine’, has its background in the changes the world has experienced in
the past year because of the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

”We hope the expected full recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic will be the harbinger of a re-imagining that will enable us to leverage on the areas in which we have comparative advantage – our arts and our culture – in order to re-launch ourselves to the world”, he said.

The Governor of Edo state, South-South Nigeria, Mr Godwin Obaseki applauded the effort of the German government and said such gesture will boost cultural ties between the two countries.

The leader of the German delegation, Dr Andreas Gorgen from the German Embassy said the German authorities believe that such priceless possessions deserve to be returned to the true owners.

The International Museum Day is celebrated on May 18 every year to bring knowledge and information about museums to the people and to introduce museums to the communities.

Nneka Ukachukwu