Hurray! Two of the historic items looted by the British during the 1897 invasion of the Benin Kingdom have been officially handed over to the Oba of Benin – Oba Ewuare II after 125 years.
The artefacts—the head of an Oba (Uhunwun Elahor) and a carved cockerel (Okpa)—were handed over to the Oba by the Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Mr Tunji Ishola, in a ceremony in Benin.
According to Oba Ewuare II, “the bronzes were more than mere art, but were mostly of religious significance, adding that the two artefacts would be returned to where they rightly belong.”
The University of Oxford is also set to return looted items in 2022.
We hope the Benin Kingdom understands the tourism potential of these assets!