Cambridge Varsity to return looted Benin artefacts

The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, said on Wednesday the Cambridge University in the United Kingdom has finalised plans to return Benin artefacts in its possession.

The monarch stated this when the Chairman of DAAR Communications, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, visited his palace on the occasion of his fifth coronation anniversary.

He said Cambridge University would become the first institution to return the artefacts in its possession if the management stays true to its words.

He insisted that there was no dispute over the ownership of the thousands of Benin artefacts that were looted from the palace of the Oba of Benin during the British invasion of the kingdom in 1897.

Read also: Descendants of Bini bronze casters write Nigerian govt, oppose return of looted artefacts to Oba of Benin

The monarch, however, commended some countries that have expressed willingness to return some of the artefacts scattered across Europe, the United States and other parts of the world.

He said: “We hear that some researchers in Germany have said that some of them were produced here, some were produced there and so on and so forth.

“Where are those here and there? Were they outside the Benin Empire? Were they outside the Benin Kingdom or any of the artefacts produced outside the Benin Kingdom?

“If they were all produced in the Benin kingdom, why would any researcher try to say some were taken out of Benin Palace and some were taken from elsewhere?”

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