Oba Of Benin Receives Two Looted Artefacts From U.S.

Two stolen items from the University of Iowa Museum in the United States have been given to the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II.

The treasures that were taken from the Benin palace during the British invasion in 1897 were a bronze plaque and a mother fowl.

After receiving the antiques in his palace on Monday, July 15, 2024, the Oba stated that President Muhammadu Buhari, the country’s most recent president, had made it quite evident who owned the artefacts through a recent gazette before he left office.

The ecstatic monarch mentioned a few of the earlier items that had been brought back to the palace.

Although the process had been initiated by his ancestors, he pointed out that he had been able to complete the task since taking the throne.

Artefacts, according to the royal father, are more than just objects; they hold spiritual meanings that are incomprehensible to ordinary people.

He also made a plea to the political establishment to support the preservation of national traditions and practices.

“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 made a plea to the nation’s political elite to support the preservation of regional traditions and practices.

Previously, the Oba of Benin received an apology from Cory Gundlach, a curator from the African Art in the US Museum, on behalf of other university instructors for exploiting the relics as teaching tools.

He reassured the king that he would make sure those who were detained somewhere else were sent back to where they had originally lived.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli