The Oba of Benin, Ewuare II on Monday, July 15, 2024, received two looted artefacts from the University of Iowa Museum, United States of America.
The returned artefacts, a mother hen and a bronze plaque, were part of the ones looted at the Benin palace when it was invaded in 1897 by the British.
Receiving the items in his palace, the Oba said the immediate past president of the federation, President Muhammadu Buhari made the ownership of artefacts very clear through his recent gazette before he left office.
The monarch, who was elated over the return of the artefacts, referred to some of the earlier ones returned to the palace.
He noted that his forebears started the process but he was able to accomplish the feat when he ascended the throne.
The royal father said that artefacts were not mere items, noting that they have spiritual implications which mere mortals cannot understand.
He further appealed to the political leaders to help preserve the traditions and customs of the land
“I must commend the immediate past president of the country, President Muhammadu Buhari who made the ownership of artefacts very clear through his recent gazette before he left office,” the Oba said.
“My forebears started the process of ensuring the artefacts are but I can accomplish the feat when I ascended the throne.
“The artefacts are not mere items, they have spiritual implications which the mere mortals cannot understand.”
He appealed to the political leaders to help preserve the traditions and customs of the land.
Earlier, Cory Gundlach, a curator from the African Art in the US Museum, on behalf of other lecturers in the university apologized to the Oba of Benin for using the artefacts as teaching materials in the university.
He assured the monarch of his determination to ensure that others who were kept elsewhere were returned to their original abode.
