Edo state hovernor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, Wednesday, said the Benin Bronzes are an integral part of the spiritual and cultural heritage of the Benin Kingdom, insisting that the artefacts belong to the Oba of Benin’s Palace and should not be subjected to political controversy.
The governor stated this in Benin City while receiving a delegation from the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) led by its Director-General, Mr. Olugbile Holloway, alongside the Consul General of Switzerland in Lagos, Ms. Conny Camenzind, and officials of the Ethnographic Museum of the University of Zurich.
The artefacts/Benin Bronzes were reportedly taken away in 1897 during the British Punitive Expedition against Benin Kingdom.
Describing the return of the artefacts as a defining moment in the history of the Benin Kingdom, Okpebholo commended the Swiss government and institutions involved in the restitution process for facilitating their return to Nigeria.
”The bronzes transcend their artistic value and represent the identity, traditions and spiritual essence of the Benin people.
”They are not just bronze; they are symbolic and spiritual to our kingdom,” he said.
The governor maintained that the artefacts rightfully belong to the traditional institution, stressing that there is only one Oba’s Palace in Edo State where they should be preserved.
He expressed optimism that more artefacts taken abroad over the years would eventually be returned, noting that ongoing restitution efforts across the world were yielding positive results.
Okpebholo further thanked the Swiss authorities for taking the initiative to return the artefacts, describing the gesture as one that would strengthen cultural ties and attract enduring goodwill.
Earlier, Holloway said the NCMM remained at the forefront of the campaign for the restitution of looted Nigerian artefacts, with Benin bronzes occupying a central place in those efforts.
He disclosed that the commission was collaborating closely with the Palace of the Oba of Benin to ensure that more artefacts currently held in foreign museums are returned to their rightful owners.