Nigerian Artefacts to return from Germany in October

Permanent Secretary Nigerian Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Gabriel Aduda has announced that German Museums are going to return over 7000 Benin Artefacts To Nigeria in October. The Artefacts would go with building an ultramodern museum in Benin Kingdom.

Gabriel Aduda, disclosed this at the Inaugural Nigerian Cultural Show exhibiting Nigeria’s diverse cultural heritage, sites and traditional festivals held at the Cultural Centre, Nigeria House, New York.

Mr Aduda also said the repatriation of the artefacts would go with building an ultramodern museum in Edo and the training of 25 curators that would man the artefacts for sustainability.

He said Nigeria had reached an advanced stage of discussions with Germany to return thousands of different pieces of Benin Bronzes back to the country.

The Nigerian official said the ministry had been at the forefront alongside relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to facilitate the return of the artefacts

“We are working with relevant MDAs, we have had several high level meetings with the republic of Germany and we are at stage where thousands of art works are to be returned to Nigeria.

“There are over 7,000 different pieces of artefacts that Republic of Germany wants to give back to Nigeria,” he also said.

“We have gone far and we are thinking that this will be concluded in October this year. We are hoping it will be a window to reach out to other European countries to return to us what was taken from us years back,” he said.

H.P/P.W/H.T.S