Cambridge University, England, United Kingdom, has formally transferred legal ownership of 116 Benin artefacts in its Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology to Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM).
The university described the move as a major step in its ongoing efforts to address the colonial-era dispossession of cultural heritage.
The decision, announced on Monday, followed a formal request by the NCMM in January 2022 for the return of objects taken by British troops during the 1897 sacking of Benin City. The university’s Governing Council supported the claim, and authorisation was subsequently granted by the UK Charity Commission.
The artefacts, mainly cast in brass, as well as ivory and wooden sculptures, were seized during the so-called ‘Punitive Expedition’ mounted by British forces in February 1897, following a violent trade dispute the previous month.
The university said arrangements for the physical transfer of most of the objects would be made in due course.
A small number will remain in Cambridge on loan and on display at MAA, where they will continue to be accessible to visitors, students, and researchers.
According to the university, its decision aligns with similar commitments made by museums in the UK, the United States, and Europe to return Benin material taken during the colonial period.
MAA, which is one of several UK institutions holding artefacts from Benin, has been involved in long-term research, dialogue, and engagement with Nigerian stakeholders, including representatives of the Benin Royal Court, artists, academics, and students.
Curators from MAA have undertaken study and liaison visits to Benin City since 2018, meeting the Oba, members of the Royal Court, and state and federal government officials.
The university also hosted the Benin Dialogue Group in 2017 and received delegations from the NCMM and the Royal Court in Cambridge in 2021.
Reacting to the development, NCMM Director-General Olugbile Holloway described the transfer as a turning point.
“This development marks a pivotal point in our dialogue with the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Cambridge, and it is our hope that this will spur other museums to head in a similar direction.
“The return of cultural items for us is not just the return of the physical object, but also the restoration of the pride and dignity that was lost when these objects were taken in the first place,” he said.
Holloway also acknowledged the support of Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, and commended the university for taking a step in the right direction.
“We look forward to welcoming the artefacts back home soon,” he said.
The Director of MAA, Prof. Nicholas Thomas, said the return reflected years of sustained engagement and a growing global consensus.
“It has been immensely rewarding to engage in dialogue with colleagues from the National Commission of Museums and Monuments, members of the Royal Court, and Nigerian scholars, students, and artists over the last ten years.
“Over the period, support has mounted nationally and internationally for the repatriation of artefacts that were appropriated in the context of colonial violence.
“This return has been keenly supported across the university community,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that NCMM, which operates under Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, oversees 53 museums, 65 national monuments, and two World Heritage Sites across the country.
Founded in 1884, MAA is one of Cambridge University’s oldest museums, with collections spanning global cultural history, archaeology, and contemporary Indigenous art.
NAN