The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, says Cambridge University, United Kingdom has concluded arrangement to return Benin artefact in its custody.
The monarch stated this on Wednesday when the Chairman, DAAR Communications, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, paid a courtesy visit to him to celebrate his birthday and fifth coronation anniversary.
Oba Ewuare II said the university would become the first institution to return Benin’s stolen artefacts when it eventually returns them, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.
The monarch also said there was no dispute over the ownership of the thousands of Benin artefact that were looted from the palace of the Oba of Benin in 1897 during the British invasion of the kingdom.
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He commended some countries that had expressed willingness to return some of the artefacts scattered across Europe, the US and other parts of the globe.
The oba also dispelled insinuations that not all the artefacts were looted from the palace.
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He commended the Federal Government and the Director-General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) for their support towards the repatriation of the artefacts.
Oba Ewuare II said, “We heard 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 these here and there? Were they outside the Benin Empire, were they outside the Benin Kingdom, were 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 the Benin palace and some were taken from elsewhere?”
The oba said the museum to house the artefacts would be domiciled opposite the palace.
“Everyone will be able to have access to the artefacts at the museum to be built outside the palace,” he said.
The monarch commended Dokpesi for taking the lead in private broadcasting in Nigeria despite the “unfriendly environment.”
Dokpesi commended the efforts of the oba to repatriate Benin’s stolen artefacts.
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